Four Corners of the Earth
by entity9silvergen
Summary: The four turtle brothers have lived apart for nearly their entire lives after being ripped from Splinter's care as children. Whey they come into contact again, each turtle must decide whether to continue their lives or return to their family. [Disclaimer: I do NOT own TMNT] [TMNT 2012 AU] [Undergoing partial rewrite as of 11/30/18]
1. Prologue

10 Years Ago

New York City

New York was a busy city. As many called it, a concrete jungle but instead of millions of trees and insects, there were millions of skyscrapers and people. Each person was unique, each had their own life, some more chaotic than others but despite all the hustle and bustle of the city, they loved it.

Below the concrete jungle, there was a man who loved the city just as much if not more but not for the hustle and bustle. No, quite the opposite for in the sewers there was peace.

That man, had a very chaotic life compared to those on the streets above because he was no ordinary man. Well, no one would call him a man but the man knew in his heart that he was.

That man was a rat. A mutant rat. And that rat had four growing sons to look after.

"Yamea," the rat man said. Four turtles snapped to attention. Each one dropped their fighting stance and lined up before their father. "Leonardo, well done today though I recommend you practice the more advanced techniques before you use them in sparring. Raphael, you need to work on your control. Donatello, next time try to act more and think less. Michelangelo, well done but you need to focus more."

"Hai Sensei." The four bowed.

"You are dismissed for the evening. Go play boys," the rat man smiled.

"Thanks Dad!"

"Thank you Father!"

"Thanks Master Splinter!"

"You're the best Dad!"

Four sets of feet ran out of the dojo and into the common room. Splinter smiled listening to their voices. He knew many found children annoying, he used to himself, but the sounds of his children were better than the best song to his ears.

Splinter sat down in the center of the dojo and went into a lotus position. He began to meditate. Despite the happiness and peacefulness he was blissfully aware of, anxiety and stress shone through. He knew that their home in the sewers was safe but he always feared the humans would find them or worse, the enemies from his former life.

Watching his sons train brought joy to his heart but joy was always followed by fear. Fear that his joy would be stripped away as it once had. That was why he meditated. To forget that fear and hopefully bring himself to a place where it no longer existed, pestering him.

Splinter was hardly aware of the hours ticking by until his eldest son entered the dojo.

"Master Splinter?" Leo asked as he entered.

"What is it, Leonardo?" Splinter questioned, his eyes opening. He saw the small form of a child standing at the doorway. The feelings he had before beginning his meditation rose up again and flooded through his body and mind. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just think you should get some sleep," Leo told him. "It's pretty late."

Splinter had no clock or watch but he knew it had to be late if his sons thought it was. He mentally scolded himself. His sons always needed to be reminded to go to bed. When they went to bed on their own accord, they were exhausted in the morning.

Leo seemed to read his face. "Don't worry, I made sure everyone went to bed at a good time."

Splinter's heart swelled in pride. His son's responsibility and caring for his brothers always brought him happiness. "My son, you need to go to bed as well."

Leo nodded. "I know, I just wanted to make sure you got to bed too."

"Thank you, Leonardo," Splinter said and got to his feet. He picked his son up and carried him to his room. He smiled softly at him. "What would I do without you?"

"Mediate all day," Leo responded. Splinter chuckled and set Leo down in the child's bed. Leo's eyes closed almost immediately showing Splinter truly how tired he was. The boy was asleep by the time Splinter tucked him in. Splinter smiled down at his beautiful son and blinked his own tired eyes before heading to his own room.

* * *

Splinter often woke up far earlier than his sons but today he woke up at a time irregular for even him. He had this terrible feeling in his belly. He put his hand on it, worried that maybe he'd eaten something bad but he felt the feeling spread to the rest of him. Splinter shook his head. It was just his usual uneasiness. This is why he had to meditate.

Splinter got up and headed to the kitchen to get some water and maybe start preparing breakfast. He didn't make it a few feet from his bedroom door when he sensed that something was wrong. He grabbed a toy block off the floor and hurled it across the room.

To his horror, a man fell out of the shadows. The rat man dropped into a defensive stance and edged closer to the fallen figure. He gasped. Splinter recognized the man's suit. Solid black, that red symbol… He was of Foot. His enemies.

"Leonardo! Raphael! Donatello! Michelangelo!" Splinter yelled. Several more ninja leaped from the shadows of his home. Each one had a weapon, each one aimed at his throat.

The four young turtles appeared in the room, yawning and rubbing their eyes sleepily, and froze at the sight of their father being attacked. Splinter was a great fighter but he didn't have enough time to land more than one blow to knock his attackers back each time one of them lunged. He was greatly outnumbered and these ninjas kept appearing out of nowhere.

"Dad!" Mikey cried and tried to run to him but Leo grabbed him. Splinter desperately tried to push the ninjas in a direction away from his children.

"No! You'll get killed!" Leo said. Donnie and Raph grabbed onto Leo's arms, seeking comfort from their big brother.

"Run, my sons!" Splinter ordered. "I will hold them off as long as I can."

Mikey was crying. Leo held his hand and took off across the room towards the exit followed by his two brothers. Splinter didn't know where they would go but he prayed they all lived long enough for that to be an issue.

His prayers were not answered. Splinter's attention was drawn away from fighting the ninja when he heard his youngest son squeal in fear. He looked to the entryway and his fears increased tenfold.

"Hamato Yoshi." A man stood at the entryway covered in heavy metal armor. From his wrists sharp blades stuck out and on his head a large helmet sat, giving him an incredibly intimidating vibe.

"Oroku Saki," Splinter hissed. He forgot about the ninja he was fighting and lunged towards his enemy who was trying to do everything he could to keep him from his sons.

Splinter didn't even make it halfway across the room before the ninjas he was fighting decided to tackle him down. There was no real skill or strategy in this attack, they just piled on top of him. The weight was too much for him to fight against and he was pinned to the ground.

At this point, all four turtles were crying. They all huddled close, clinging to each other for what little comfort their siblings could offer. The Shredder turned his armored head to stare at them. Light from another room caught his armor, causing it to glint. Splinter was blinded for a moment by the glare.

In a moment, the Shredder stood crouched, towering, over Splinter's sons, inspecting them. They shrank back more until their shells pressed against the wall, tears flowing fast and silent save the occasional whimper. They only heightened when the Shredder suddenly rose back up to full height and rose his metal plated arm.

"Shut up!" Shredder snarled. His hand came down and Splinter's ears were filled with the sound of harsh contact followed by his sons' screams.

"No!" Splinter howled. He struggled against the mass on top of him but he couldn't even get his tail free. The weight was too much and the struggling seemed to make it worse. Splinter felt like his chest was about to collapse, he could barely breathe but that wouldn't stop him. He had to get to his beloved sons.

"You care for these creatures?" Shredder mused. He kicked out with one foot and sent the nearest turtle, Donnie, flying across the room.

"Donatello!" Splinter cried and began struggling again. Donnie cried out as his shell rammed into the wall with a terrible sound and collapsed on the ground unconscious. The Shredder started to laugh. Splinter hissed. How could someone be so evil to kick a scared child?

"Foot ninja, gather these turtles and dispose of them." Shredder said. "The rest of you, try up the rat. I have plans for him."

Splinter did everything he could to break out of the ninjas grip and get to his sons but there was nothing he could do but watched four Foot Ninja pick up his screaming children and carry them out of sight.


	2. South America

Present Day

South America

A loud splash was heard from high up on a mountain followed by an embarrassingly girly screech. A turtle with a red bandana sat on a rock gazing out at the ocean with a magnificent mountain behind him. He glanced over and saw a fish bolting towards him running on mechanical legs.

The fish was laughing his head off as he ran. His tail flapped behing him, dripping water off its red scales. A human boy dressed in black chased him dripping just as much, if not more. Raph smiled and started laughing as well.

"What happened, Raphael?" a massive turtle suddenly appeared behind him.

"Oh, hey Slash," Raph greeted. "'Ol Fishface got Casey again."

"With the water bucket?"

"Yup."

"I really wish he wouldn't waste that water. It's a real pain to drag that water up the beach," Slash sighed and settled down next to Raph but smiled when he was Casey chasing Fishface around. Below the mountain, there was a rocky area before the terrain lead into sand. Fishface leaped from rock to rock while Casey scrambled on the ground below, trying to grab him.

The four lived in the lower area of the Andes Mountains. It was a secluded area since the terrain around it was too rough for humans to cross but it was a great place to live for mutants. On the mountain itself, there were several caves and below the rocks eased into a field of massive stones then into sand and eventually into ocean.

Casey and Fishface were currently running through the rocky area between the mountain and the beach. Fishface leaped onto a particularly high rock and spit at Casey who was trying to scramble up to him.

"Hey!" Casey yelled. His efforts to catch Fishface seized a moment while he paused to wipe spit from his face.

Fishface continued laughing and grinned up at Raph and Slash who sat closer to their caves in the mountain.

"Let 'im go, Casey," Raph called. "You can get him back later."

"That's what you always say," Casey grumbled but backed off. Fishface leaped off the rock, still laughing like a madman, and began running back up the mountain to join the turtles on the rocks. Casey dropped his gruff expression and followed him with a smile. He couldn't stay mad for long. The water was already drying and it kept him cool anyway.

"So, what are we doing today?" Fishface asked when he approached.

"Well, it seems I have to get another run of water," Slash said. "Did you use the clean water or did you get that from the ocean?"

"The ocean," Fishface answered. "Went for a swim this morning, wanted to share my experience."

"Share it with a turtle," Casey huffed.

"I was going to try hunting again today," Raph said.

"Same here," Fishface spoke up. "I found a pretty good outcrop where the fish can't see your shadow. Its-"

"I meant land hunting," Raph said.

"Oh. Okay"

"What?"

"I can't really see you killing an animal," Fishface said. "You love those little guys."

"Wanna bet?" Raph growled leaning closer.

"Fish aren't animals," Casey said.

"What? Yes they are." Fishface said putting a web hand to his chest as if offended. "Why wouldn't we be?

"You fall down the mountain one to many times, Jones?" Slash asked.

"No! Back at the village I overheard someone say that vegetarians eat fish," Casey told them. "Vegetarians don't eat fish so-"

"Fish aren't plants, Case," Raph said.

"I know that! I mean killing a fish is different from killing a bird or something!" Casey responded defensively.

"Whatever." Raph waved him off.

"Why are you so intent on land hunting anyway?"

"Just getting tired of eating fish all the time," Raph explained. "A turtle needs some variety."

"I'm pretty sure turtles eat fish," Casey said.

"No, no we don't." Raph shuddered. "I still get nightmares about algae and worms."

"Well, I'm still going fishing," Fishface said.

"I'd think you'd be the one most up for land hunting," Slash said.

"Yeah, isn't fishing, like, cannibalism?" Casey asked.

"No! I am not a fish!" Fishface exclaimed. "I am a man! Who looks like a fish…"

"Whatever, I'm heading out." Raph got to his feet. Casey jumped up too.

"Can I come?" Casey asked.

"No."

"Why?"

"You need to go to the village and take a shower or something." Raph told him. "You are starting to smell like- like"

"Like what?"

Raph shrugged. "I don't even know. Human?"

"I am a human, idiot."

"Yeah but you've got weird human smell."

"Come on, Xever," Slash said, backing away from the bickering teenagers. "I'll help you fish. I doubt Raphael will catch anything."

"Thanks, Slash." Fishface nodded and the two began to descend the mountain.

* * *

Raph leaped several feet upward and landed on a rock before leaping up to the next. He'd learned long ago that this was the best way to scale the mountain. Unfortunately, only he and Fishface were capable of this feat so Casey and Slash rarely left the secluded area they called home and if they did, it was a slow struggle.

Raph heard Casey scrambling far behind him but didn't try to help him. Either Casey did things his way or Raph had to carry him and neither of them enjoyed the second option.

Raph reached his destination within an hour. He stood at the top of the mountain and gazed out at the mountain range before him. Where he stood wasn't at all high compared to the surrounding mountains but he felt like he was on top of the world when he stood here. He felt like he could see forever. The mountain range stretched for thousands of miles and was covered with beautiful life.

In the distance, he saw some birds flying around but he knew he had no chance of catching them. He had to find something though. There no way he was coming home empty handed after that whole ordeal.

But Fishface was right, he did love the wildlife here. He'd have a hard time bringing himself to kill something. A few feet away, he heard some sort of animal scuttling around. Instinctively, he pounced at it and to his surprise, he found himself with a small rodent in his hands first try.

"Hey little guy," Raph cooed gently looking down into his hands. He wasn't totally sure what the creature was. He didn't think he'd seen it before. The rodent looked up at him and made some small noises before chomping down on one of his three green fingers.

"Ow! You pequeño diablo estúpido!" Raph yelled, slipping into Fishface's way of talking. He'd picked up some Spanish living in South America but his brain just registered them as normal words rather than another language so he never really made any attempt to speak it. For some reason, it didn't feel right but he was fine with throwing insults or the occasional affectionate nickname at his friends.

"Get back here!" Raph yelled and chased after the rodent but it made it into a burrow before Raph got within a few feet of it. Raph got on his hands and knees and began punching the ground around where the rodent disappeared. "Get back out here and fight like a man!"

Raph suddenly felt incredibly stupid. He got to his feet and glanced around to make sure none of his friends were around to witness that. To his relief, he saw no one but tried to play it cool anyway.

Raph began walking north. The top of this particular mountain was flat for miles at the top. He wasn't sure why, he doubted it was entirely natural but it saved him from climbing too much.

Raph was about to give up when he heard it. He wasn't sure what it was, he'd never heard it before. He knew it was something though. He broke into a run and headed towards the mountain merged into another and rose. He climbed over a few rocks then he saw it.

He couldn't believe his luck. Within thirty feet of him, he saw a pack of llama. Or maybe alpaca. He didn't know the difference. He knew they both lived here. These were probably llama. How easy it would be to nab one of those… they'd eat for days! Just as Raph was about to run out and snatch one, he heard voices.

Raph ducked behind a rock but leaned forward to try and overhear what the voices were saying. His brain struggled to translate but he was pretty sure they were shepherds.

"How much father, Dad?" a boy asked.

"Not much farther, my son," a tall shepherd said. Raph got this strange feeling hearing them address each other like that but ignored it. "We're letting the llamas rest before the final stretch."

"Tell me what we're going again," the boy asked. The tall shepherd sat on a rock and pulled his son onto his lap.

"Ah, but I've told you many times."

"But I wanna here again. Please?"

"Oh alright. A small village just north of here, that's where we're going," the shepherd started. Raph knew which village he was talking about. That was the one where Casey was heading right now. The one where he where he did all the human things that he couldn't do in the wild. That's where he chewed his first coca leaf with Slash and Fishface taught him how to sneak around humans.

"We go there usually every year," the shepherd continued. "As you know, we shepherds are a simple people. We move where the grass goes and stop by villages when they're close."

"But what if the villagers need us when we're not there?" the boy asked.

"Ah, ah. You're getting ahead of me." The shepherd waggled his finger at his son. "Many years ago, when your great great grandfather bought his first flock, he went to many villages and made promises to them. Each visit, he'd give them 10 percent of his flock and shave the rest and the villages would provide him with enough resources to make it to the next village."

"Why 10 percent?" he boy asked. "Why not just promised twenty llamas?"

"Because, my son, sometimes we cannot afford to lose twenty llamas," the shepherd explained. "We weren't always two hundred strong. We used to be one hundred. And before that, fifty. If we only had fifty llamas and we gave each village twenty…"

"We'd run out of llamas!" the boy finished with a laugh as if it were unimaginable. The shepherd smiled.

"Yes. Do you now understand why we promise percentages, my son?"

"Yes, Dad. But why do the villagers need llamas? Don't they have their own?"

Raph's brain suddenly stopped translating until all he heard were distant noises. He got this pang in his chest that he hadn't felt in a long time. Seeing the boy and his father brought that feeling back. He watched as a few more boys ran up to the shepherd and started pestering him with questions about the llamas. The pang grew stronger.

Raph shook his head to clear it. He had to focus on the task at hand. Stealing one of those llama. Raph abandoned his place behind the rock and circled around the flock so he was as far from the humans as possible.

Raph stood up straight and walked towards the flock. Thankfully, they were tall enough to where he didn't have to duck. The llamas didn't scatter away at the sight of him, they just continued grazing.

Raph grabbed the closest one around the neck. The llama bleated loudly, turned, and spat a huge wad of spit and half-chewed grass right in his face.

Raph spluttered and scrambled back. "Gross!"

The llama continued grazing, apparently unaware of the danger that was Raphael. Raph tried grabbing it again and was met with the same results. Raph growled. He spotted a stone on the ground and picked it up. He tossed it slightly, testing its weight. He gave a satisfied smile when it fell back into his hand then glared at the llama.

"This'll teach ya not to spit at me," Raph said and lifted the stone and struck the llama hard on the head. That did the trick, the llama dropped dead. Raph smiled.

Unfortunately this caused the other llamas to recognize the danger. They all started screaming and did everything they could to get away from him.

"No, shh! Guys be quiet! I'm only taking one of you. Stop!" Raph hissed but his efforts to calm the llamas was futile. He heard the shepherds shouting. "Sewer Apples!"

Hearing those words from his mouth surprised him but he didn't really have time to think about it. He had to get out of there before the humans saw him. Personally, he didn't understand Fishface's or Slash's obsession over staying hidden, there were plenty of animals here that they could easily be confused for and there were enough legends and superstitions that no one would believe anyone who claimed to have seen them, but he wouldn't argue with them about this. He'd been a mutant his whole life and longer than they had but they were older and understood these things.

Raph grabbed the llama and started dragging the dead llama behind him. It was bigger and heavier than he thought. He pulled it onto his shell and took off. He heard shouting. "There, there! Thief!"

"Sewer Apples!" Raph cursed again. He knew the humans couldn't see him under the llama but he still had to worry about escaping them. He broke into a run and began heading south again, back towards home.

* * *

It took a few hours for Raph to shake the shepherds but he'd managed to do it. He was exhausted now after running so much carrying a dead animal but he had this proud feeling spreading through him that kept him going as he neared the cave he called home.

It was late. The sky was beginning to darken and the sun was beginning to set in the ocean that he;d been gazing at that morning. Raph began to climb down the mountain to the cave where he and his friends usually spent most of their time.

"Hey guys," he greeted dropping down. The three jumped up.

"Hey, where were you?" Slash asked.

"We were worried you'd fallen off the face of the mountain!" Casey joked but looked relieved to see him.

"Sorry, it took me awhile to drag this here." Raph voice rose at the end of the sentence as he dragged the llama into the cave.

"Holy llama!" Fishface exclaimed. "That's enough to feed us for days!"

"I know!" Raph said excitedly.

"How did you manage to catch one of these things?" Slash asked. "I've been trying for years!"

"I think it's one of the stupid domesticated ones. I just walked right up to it. Spooked the flock though," Raph said.

"Domesticated? The humans didn't see you, did they?" Slash asked suddenly concerned.

"No. I mean yeah, they saw me but I had this thing on me." Raph gestured to the llama. "Don't worry, made sure they wouldn't be able to follow me back here."

"Good," Slash sighed. "You've gotta be more careful, Raphael."

"Are you guys going to keep talking or are we going to cook this thing?" Casey asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell your big stomach to shut up, we're coming."

Each one of them was able to eat more than their fill and they hadn't had to deal with tiny little fish bones sticking in their teeth. Best meal the four had ever had.

The four of them lay curled up on the floor of the cave. Raph's head rested on Slash's plastron, he could feel Fishface on one side and Casey on other.

They were all sound asleep but Raph was wide awake listening to their silent breaths of sleep.

He remembered the shepherd and the boys back at the flock. That feeling he felt, what was that? He recognized it but he was sure he hadn't felt it in a long time.

Casey mumbled something in his sleep and shifted closer to Raph. Raph smiled and looked around. That feeling was gone and it was replaced with a new one and he had his friends- no, his family- to thank for it.


	3. Australia

Present Day

Australia

The Australian Outback is known for its lack of humans, its unique animals, it's terrible weather and its desert though some areas are forested. It's the last place one would expect to find a jeep full of crazy mutants.

"Hee heeee!"

"Cowabunga!"

"Booyakasha!"

The jeep thundered across open desert. The jeep wasn't really big enough for the three mutants, they all kinda hung out of it but none of them seemed to notice or care. They all seemed to be having the time of their lives.

"Put more metal to the metal, Bebop!" the mutant seated in shotgun yelled. He was a turtle. He wore an orange piece of cloth that was probably meant to be something else but he wore it on his head like a hat to protect his eyes from the sun.

"On it lil green!" Bebop responded. He tires screeched louder as the jeep sped up.

"Weeeww!" yelled the mutant in the back. He stood on the backseat using his gecko hands to cling onto the jeep's frame to keep himself from falling. "Are we going somewhere, Mikey, or is this just a joyride?"

"Hmm, didn't really think of that. Thanks for reminding me Mondo." Mikey stopped yelling for a moment to think. He put his finger to his chin in thought. He suddenly pointed it upward as he got an idea. "I know! We should visit Leatherhead!"

"Yeah! We haven't seen him in forever!" Mondo yelled.

"I know!" Mikey began yelling again. "It's almost been an entire day!"

"I know!" Mondo screamed in agreement.

"To the oasis, Bebop!" Mikey stood up dramatically and pointed into the distance.

"On it boss man!" Bebop saluted and jerked the steering wheel hard to the left. The jeep veered and made a u-turn. "Hee hee!"

* * *

After racing across the desert for a few miles, the jeep was pulled to an abrupt stop beside a small area that stuck out from the rest of the terrain. A patch of green in the middle of a yellow that stretched for miles and miles.

There was a small pool of water, several trees, and nothing but grass for a fifteen foot radius. It wasn't the healthiest looking grass but it looked more alive than anything for miles. Other than the three lively mutants who began to unpile themselves from the jeep of course.

"Snap-dizzle." Bebop said as he flipped out of the jeep and struck a pose. "That, my reptile buddies, had to be the fastest we've ever gotten here."

"I know!" Mondo yelled. "That was insane!"

"Pipe it down, small fry," Bebop told him. "We can yell our lungs out out there but here we gotta keep it down for that big 'ol distant cousin of yours. Leatherhead don't like all that noise."

"Leatherhead!" Mikey called. "Leatherhead, we're back! Where are you?"

"Leatherheaaaaad!" Mondo cupped his hands and yelled. Bebop began looking in the grass. He sniffed.

"My little piggy nose don't smell nothin'!" Bebop announced. "Leatherhead ain't here!"

"No! He's gotta be!" Mikey dived into the grass and began swimming around like he was in water. "Leatherhead!"

In the distance, a roar was heard.

"Leatherhead!" Mikey's head popped out of the grass and he shot out like a bullet. "I'm coming buddy!"

"Leatherheaaaad!" Mondo took off after Mikey, not running nearly as fast. Bebop picked him up with one hand and put him on his back.

"You ain't goin' nowhere fast." Bebop said and began running after Mikey. "Wait up, G."

* * *

"No! Leatherhead!" Mikey yelled. They hadn't had to run far before they spotted Leatherhead. He was fairly close to the oasis.

In the distance, a large truck could be seen. Leatherhead stood a few feet away from it. Several humans surrounded him. Each one held a stick with a loop on it. One human had the loop around his neck.

Leatherhead roared in fury and lashed out with one hand at the nearest human. The roar soon turned to one of pain as electricity flowed through the loop, shocking him.

"Poachers!" Mondo screamed in fear.

"Oh no, nuh uh, not me." Bebop shook his hands and waved his arms in a cross. "I'm not messin' with no poachers. I'm outie five-thousand!"

"But Leatherhead!" Mikey whined.

"But poachers!" Mondo screeched in response.

"But Leatherhead!"

"But poachers!"

"But Leatherhead!"

"But poachers!"

"That's it!" Mikey turned around and put his hands on his hips. "I am your leader because I am the smartest. If we don't run in there and save Leatherhead, we'll never see him again!"

"Leatherhead!" Mondo screamed.

"We're comin' buddy!" Bebop yelled. The group wasn't exactly the brightest bunch. It didn't take much to convince them.

"Booyakasha!"

"Cowabunga!"

"Hee hee!"

The three mutants charged at the poachers. Mikey body slammed the human who was shocking Leatherhead with the back of his shell. Mondo desperately claws at a very confused human who Bebop ran up to and kicked in the head in unison with another.

"My friends!" Leatherhead cried joyfully and tore through loop around his arm. He let out another roar. The force behind it seemed to shake everyone down to the bone.

"Aw yeah! Leatherhead is back baby!" Mikey yelled. Leatherhead flung the humans trying to recapture him to the side. The rushed forward to the truck and began smashing it, leaving massive fistprints in the metal with each blow.

"You show 'im big green!" Bebop cheered. The humans began to scramble away. They jumped into the truck and it sped off. Leatherhead sent yet another roar after them.

"Leatherhead!" Mikey ran up to him and hugged him. Leatherhead was momentarily surprised and relaxed into the hug. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Never, Michelangelo," Leatherhead said and returned the hug.

"Leatherhead!" Mondo yelled and went to Mikey's side. Leatherhead wrapped him in his other arm.

"Aw, let me in there!" Bebop said and wrapped his arms around them to the best of his ability. The four stood that for some time.


	4. Antarctica

Present Day

Antarctica

"Astounding!" a turtle wearing purple glasses exclaimed. He sat in an office chair hunched over a tablet. "Doctor Rockwell, April, you've got to see this!"

Within seconds, a red haired girl and a chimpanzee in a lab coat were at his side.

"What could be so- Donatello!" Rockwell gasped. "This data, it could, in theory, prove that the ozone hole right above us directly contributes to polar vortex and the circulatory patterns of the excess geothermal power in the atmosphere!"

"Donnie, this could be a huge breakthrough!" April told the turtle. Donnie smiled and looked up at her.

"I know!" he said excitedly. "It'll take hours to go over this data and make sure it's accurate but we might've really done something!"

Rockwell pressed a button on the computer and leaned over to speak into a microphone. "Hear that, Bradford? You can come back to base now."

"Thanks Doc!" A voice blasted back through the comm. The audio wasn't clear. Muffled wind roared in the background. "I'm freezing my tail off! Wait, do I even have a tail?"

"No, you most it after your last mutation, Rahzar," April reminded him. "But don't worry, I'' go get something warm ready for you."

"Thanks April," Rahzar responded. "What would I go without you?"

"Freeze." April smiled. She walked away from the comm and began to search for some blankets and a pot to boil some water.

"Donatello, could you go open the doors for our friend?" Rockwell requested. "No sense leaving him out there longer than needed."

"On it!" Donnie said and got up off the chair and ran across the room and into the hallway. He nearly fell over but managed to stumble towards another door. Next to it, hung a large coat. Donnie put it on quickly and slapped a button on the wall. The door slowly slid open and Donnie rushed it. He hit another button and another door opened.

The door slid open to reveal a humanoid figure encased in some sort of suit that looked like an astronaut's. Behind him was nothing but a vast white and cold vapor that flowed into the room from the opening in the wall. Donnie turned away, not wanting to be blinded by the reflection off the ice.

"You just going to stand there?"

"Sorry Rahzar." Donnie grabbed the mutant and pulled him indoors and quickly shut the door behind him. He carefully began to help Rahzar remove the suit. As Rahzar's sleek, black body came into view, Donnie saw that he was shivering violently.

"Come on," Donnie said and guided him towards the other door. "April'll help you get warm in just a sec."

Rahzar nodded and Donnie opened the door. April stood there waiting holding a large blanket. Rahzar stooped down to her height and allowed her and Donnie to drape the blanket over his shoulders. He grabbed it with his clawed hands and pulled it tighter around him.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." April shoved a hot water bottle between his arms and against his chest.

"You're too kind." Rahzar smiled.

"Just doing my job." April smiled back. Donnie groaned.

"Tell me why I'm going back out again after I just came back to get warm?" Rahzar huffed as April and Donnie helped him back into the exploration suit.

"We need to be certain the data we received is accurate therefore we need another module out there," Rockwell explained entering the room and handing Rahzar several antenna-like devices attached to some sort of computer.

Rahzar put his ears back and looked at Rockwell sadly.

"That isn't going to work on me." Rockwell crossed his arms. "Now get going."

"Cock your head," April whispered as she began to seal him into the suit.

Rahzar cocked his head to one side but Rockwell didn't budge.

"Tilt it down… down… there," Donnie instructed. Rahzar was giving Rockwell a full-powered puppy face.

Rockwell's face stayed stern but slowly softened. "Okay fine. Stay out for an hour, put up as many of those as you can then come back and you three can have the rest of the day off."

"Yes!" Rahzar fist pumped. Donnie out the helmet on the suit and sealed it shut. He pressed a button and the doors opened to the tundra.

"Keep in contact," Rockwell reminded.

"Of course," Rahzar responded. "See you guys in an hour!"

* * *

"Bradford, place the net one three meters to your left," Rockwell instructed.

"Uhh…" Rahzar's confused voice came over comm.

"That's like ten feet," Donnie told him.

"Oh thanks," Rahzar responded. "How come you're never out here, Don? You'd be much better than this than me. And you know Rockwell's weird metric system stuff."

"I'm cold blooded, remember? I can't stay out there very long," Donnie said. "And your body composition makes you a more suitable candidate than April."

"Not going to pretend like I understood that," Rahzar said.

"Bradford, are you sure you adjusted the last unit properly?" Rockwell suddenly asked.

"Uhh.. I don't know, want me to check?"

"Yes. Please."

The comms went silent for a moment. Donnie slid over to where Rockwell was sitting and looked over his shoulder at the data he was inspecting.

"I placed it properly, I just checked," Rahzar replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Bradford, get out of there now!" Rockwell ordered.

"Why what's wrong?!" Rahzar asked, alarmed.

"There should be a massive blizzard forming just east of you," Rockwell said. "You must get back here immediately. Before the entire area is consumed by the storm."

"What's the ETA?" Rahazr asked sounding calm.

"Ten minutes?" Donnie guessed looking at the data. "Maybe fifteen?"

"No way can I get back that fast!" Rahzar's voice lost all sense of tranquility.

"Then run, you dog!" Donnie shouted.

"Wait, his oxygen systems might not be able to handle the increased respiration," Rockwell protested.

"It's better than freezing to death," Rahzar said. The sound of labored breathing came through the speakers.

"Don't speak but keep your comms on. You don't want to use more oxygen than necessary," Rockwell told him. He turned around. "April! Prepare for entry then prepare the medical bay if you have the time."

"Do you think that will be necessary?" Donnie asked getting worried. "I've tested Rahzar's speed in the mutation lab, he's fast enough to outrun a storm."

"Maybe if he wasn't hindered by all that protection gear." Rockwell said. "A wise man once said hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Now don't just stand there, Donatello, go help April!"

Donnie nodded and bolted out of the room. He found April in the med bay.

"Need any help?" Donnie asked. April looked up from whatever she was doing.

"Yeah, can you get that stretcher out by the door?" April asked pointing at one of the several stretchers in the med room. Donnie nodded.

"Do you think we'll need it?" Donnie asked.

"Probably." April shrugged. "I heard Rockwell tell Rahzar to run. At the very least he'll be tired."

"But still too proud to let us wheel him around on a stretcher," Donnie said but ran out of the room pushing the stretcher and parked it near the door. April suddenly appeared behind him. "Woah, what's the rush?"

"Rockwell just contacted me." April gestured at her head to imply telepathy. She ran into the entry room and pulled an exploration suit off the wall. "The blizzard moved faster than he predicted. Rahzar's comm is down. I'm going after him."

"You can't!" Donnie protested. "The storm will-"

"Whatever the storm can do to me, it can do to Rahzar! You can't stop me!"

"Then I'm going with you!" Donnie began putting on a spare suit.

"No, you can't! You'll freeze!"

"With any luck, we won't be out there long enough for that to happen."

"It's too risky!"

"We don't have time to argue about this!" Donnie shouted as he opened the door. A huge gust of wind rushed in and nearly knocked over April but Donnie caught her. "Besides, I have mutant strength, you don't."

"Fine, but let's hurry."

* * *

Donnie was eternally thankful for the protective suit. That first gust of wind sent a chill into his shell that hadn't gone away yet and he knew it would be a thousand times worse without the suit.

"Rahzar!" he called.

"Rahzar!" April yelled. "Bradford! Chris! Dogpound?!"

"Why are you shouting every name he's ever had?" Donnie asked quietly.

If April shrugged, he couldn't see it through the heavy layers of her suit. "If he's hurt, he may be delusional. He might not respond to 'Rahzar'."

"That's dumb," Donnie said but added Rahzar's old names to his call. He began to shiver more as the wind increased. "Rahzar! Chris! Bradford! Dogpound!"

In the distance, he thought he heard something but it was hard to tell over the wind. "April, you hear that?"

"Rahzar?" April called. A groan, barely audible, was heard. "Rahzar!"

There was a thermal scanner on the arm of Donnie suit. He tapped at it a bit and began waving it around. "He's buried under the snow! The blizzard must've blown enough snow that he wasn't able to keep to the surface."

"Well, how to we get him out?"

"I don't know! We didn't bring any tools."

"Rahzar!" April began digging with her hands. Just as she started, the wind increased and snow quickly began filling the hole.

"Wait, I got an idea," Donnie told her. He stepped back a few feet, struggling to do this simple action due to the speed of the wind, and plunged his hand into the snow. He felt around a bit until his hand clasped around something. He pulled hard.

Donnie yanked the thing out of the ground and fell on his butt but he didn't care. He held the object up for April to see.

"One of the data modules," April realized. "Hang on Rahzar! We're coming to get you!"

Donnie got up and plunged the antenna into the ground where he knew Rahzar was. With a lot of effort, he got it pretty deep. "Rahzar, if you can hear us, grab on and pull. But not too hard or I'll lose it."

A few seconds later, Donnie felt a tug on the other end of the antenna. He released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Alright! Hold on tight! Now April, help me pull him up!"

April's hands wrapped around the antenna beside Donnie's. He two dug their heels into the ground and yanked back hard knowing the antenna wouldn't give out before they did. Slowly, they began to pull it out of the ground and slowly. The head of Rahzar's exosuit appeared out of the snow.

"Rahzar!" the two exclaimed. They tossed the antenna to the side.

"Give us your hands," April ordered. Rahzar was too tired to say anything but managed to get his arms out of the snow. Donnie took one and April took the other. They began to pull him out of the snow.

Rahzar slumped over and Donnie rushed to his side to catch him. He could feel Rahzar shivering though the suit. "So cold…"

"Don't worry, we'll get you back to base where it's nice and warm," Donnie told him shivering equally as much.

April went to Rahzar's other side and supported what Donnie could not. "Come on Rahzar. Just one step and you'll be home. Now just one more…That's it. Keep going..."

* * *

No sight was more beautiful to Donnie than the sight of Rockwell opening the doors to base. April and Donnie rushed towards them and shoved Rahzar in in front of them.

"...F-f-freezing!" Donnie managed to get out.

"Here." Rockwell used his telekinesis to hand Donnie a hot water bottle. "Put this down your suit. It may be dangerous to give up however much heat you already have trapped him there with you."

"T-thanks Rockwell," Donnie chattered. "But help R-rahzar first."

"Of course." Rockwell nodded and tore the suit off of him with his psychic powers. "You'll be just fine, Bradford."

"Yeah, Rahzar," April said as she got out of her own suit and grabbed a blanket. "After all, we're all here now."


	5. Asia

Present Day

Asia

"Turtle! Snake-Girl!" a voice with a thick russian accent barked. "Wake up! Tiger Claw wants you two up for morning training!"

A turtle with a blue mask wrapped around his face lay on a mat on the floor of a small cave. He groaned at the rude awakening and turned to his other side. A few feet away, a human girl with short black hair laying on her own mat did the same.

"Get up or I will pop your heads like the blueberry!"

That did it. The turtle's eyes snapped open and he sat up in a criss-cross position and looked up at the massive rhinoceros looming over him with bright eyes.

"What's a blueberry, Rocksteady?" the turtle asked looking up at him eagerly.

"Leo…"

"Shut up Karai!" Leo hissed then looked back up at Rocksteady. "Can you tell us? Please?"

Rocksteady smiled and sat down in front of him. "Blueberry is like small fruit that is blue."

Leo looked slightly disappointed but didn't stop. "Where do they come from?"

Rocksteady looked thoughtful for a moment. "I am not sure. Likely forest country. Not asian forest, like this one. Big forest with thick trees and bears and that sort of thing."

"What's a bear? What other kinds of forests are there? How are the trees different?"

"Rocksteady, you've unleashed a monster," Karai said and sat up but she was smiling. Rocksteady looked confused but laughed. Karai smiled. "You're missing the important questions, Leo. Why in the world would a berry be blue?"

"Likely genetic modification or some science thing." Rocksteady shrugged.

"What's that?" Leo and Karai asked in unison.

Rocksteady blinked. "Why you always so interested in world outside of forest?"

"We haven't been out of this forest since we got here, genius." Karai responded.

"Yeah, I remember some stuff but not that much." Leo added. "I'm just curious. There's so much out there! Like that geneanic mobaficabit… that thing you said. What's that?"

"Some science thing." Rocksteady shrugged. "Tell you what. Go out, do training with Tiger Claw, come back, I tell you story."

"Alright!" Leo jumped up. It was a win-win situation. He loved training just as much as Rocksteady's stories.

Karai stood up next to him and walked to the cave entrance. "Where does Tiger Claw want us to meet? In the usual spot up in the mountains?"

"No. He say he smell humans there. Go to ravine. Opposite direction of mountains."

"Thanks." Karai nodded and Leo suddenly pushed past her.

"Race you there Karai!" Leo called as he ran away from the cave. He disappeared into the trees surrounding the cave.

"Oh, you are so on." Karai grinned. Her human features were quickly replaced by those of a snake and soon a long white serpent was twisting through the treetops of the forest.

* * *

The forest was probably some place in China. Leo wasn't really sure. He'd been brought here when he was pretty young so he didn't remember coming here all that well. This forest was generally free of humans. There was a small village several miles away but the villagers rarely ventured in the forest due to the thicket.

To the mutants, however, the number of trees and other plants provided many hiding places from the humans. To Tiger Claw, it was the perfect place to teach his young mutant friends ninjitsu as he had been taught at his former home in Japan. To Leo and Karai, the forest was also a great place to laugh and play.

Leo sprinted through the forest on the forest floor. He could hear the leaves above him rustle as Karai shot through them. Leo's footsteps were silent, he stepped lightly to prevent the crunching of leaves under his feet.

Something suddenly hit him. Karai fell out of the tree and tackled him to the ground. He yelped in surprise and tried to roll away but she pinned him down. She lowered her head and grinned. "Got you."

"Leonardo! Karai!" Tiger Claw's strict voice cut through the air. "You're late."

Leo got up and Karai reverted to human form. They bowed in respect though they did not need to. Tiger Claw was more of an elder or parental figure than a master or sensei but it felt right to bow.

"Sorry Tiger Claw," Leo said still in a bow. His mind scrambled to think of an excuse. "We must've overslept."

"Or you got distracted by one of Steranko's stories," Tiger Claw mused. "You should focus more on your training than thoughts of the world outside of this forest."

"With all due respect, Tiger Claw," Leo's voice lost its earlier playfulness and was replaced with a more serious tone, "but I think our curiosity is healthy. I don't remember much about my home or my father or my brothers but I'd like to think that they're experiencing all those things Rocksteady tells us about. And I don't think there's any harm in learning."

Tiger Claw was silent for a moment. Leo abandoned their bow and stood up straight. Tiger Claw was looking down at them with a frown. "Your homes are here now. You must remember that or you'll end up with false hopes and crushed dreams."

"Now," Tiger Claw turned towards the ravine, "we may as well take advantage of the change in scenery. Today we shall practice the challenges of fighting without a solid place to stand. Into the ravine!"

* * *

Leo's muscles burned from overuse. They'd been in the ravine for hours. He was used to training for long periods of time but in the ravine, he had to be holding onto something at all times or he'd pummel to his death. It took a heavy toll on his body.

Karai clung onto the opposite wall of the ravine. From her belt she drew three throwing stars. Having no metal and little stone on a forest, they were made of bamboo so they wouldn't hurt if they hit but they made good for practice.

Karai flung the stars across the ravine. Leo loosened his grip a bit and let himself slide down the stone a few feet. The stars buried themselves in the stone just above his head.

Leo took one arm of the wall and turned so he was facing Karai and launched himself off the wall towards Karai. Karai leaped and landed a few feet higher. Leo's jump arced so he landed just below her. He looked up at her and grabbed her leg.

Karai reverted into snake form and Leo lost his grip on her as she slipped away from him. She wrapped herself around a branch sticking out of the wall.

Leo drew a ninja star and hurled it at her. Karai braced but soon realized that she wasn't the target. The star hit the branch and cut right through it. Startled, Karai turned human again as she began falling.

Leo leaped off the wall and slammed into her mid-air. His momentum carried the two to the other side. Leo held onto the wall with Karai pressed between his plastron and the stone wall of the ravine.

"That was so cheating," Karai said looking up at him.

"'Seek victory not fairness,'" Leo quoted though he was not totally sure who he was quoting.

"Wisely said," Tiger Claw said. He stood with his arms crossed on the surface above the ravine. He looked down from his place where he instructed their training. "Now, release Karai and continue your battle."

* * *

"Yamea!" Tiger Claw's voice ceased the battle. Karai and Leo were both breathing hard as they pulled themselves out of the ravine. The two collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, happy to have a solid surface beneath them.

"Tiger Claw, how did we-?"

"Silence," Tiger Claw commanded. Leo and Karai grew worried. "Do you hear that?"

Leo and Karai both tilted their heads as the listened.

"Sorry, your hearing's much better than-" Leo stopped talking as he suddenly heard a roar in the distance. "Okay, nevermind. I heard that."

"That sounds like Rocksteady!" Karai said.

"Back to the cave!" Tiger Claw ordered. The three took of running.

* * *

When they arrived in the clearing they saw home, Leo's heart was filled with fear.

Rocksteady stood in the center of the clearing. Several humans surrounded him. Rocksteady swung his arms, trying to keep them away. One human clung to his back out of his reach. The human held a syringe filled with what could only be assumed to be a tranquilizer. The human jabbed it hard into the soft flesh of Rocksteady's neck. He cried out.

"No!" Leo threw one of his bamboo throwing stars at the human. It didn't do much more than catch his attention. Leo pulled a large wooden stick from his belt and swung at the human. The human was knocked off of Rocksteady's shoulders and sent flying.

The humans began shooting darts at Tiger Claw but he began spinning a broken branch and successfully defeated them. Tiger Claw let out a mighty roar as he flung the weapon aside and launched himself into battle. A human scream was heard as Tiger Claw's claws raked down the side of a human's face.

Karai and Leo were at Rocksteady's side in a moment.

"Rocksteady, are you okay?" Karai asked.

"Of course! I am the great Rocksteady!" Rocksteady said. He slumped over and his eyelids began drooping. "But I am feeling the sleeps."

Rocksteady fell over and was snoring heavily almost immediately. Karai felt at his wrist to monitor his pulse. "He's fine, just sedated."

A hand suddenly grabbed her by the wrist. A man spoke to her with an urgent tone in a language neither Leo or Karai understood.

"Unhand me, human!" she hissed and turned into a snake. She smiled, enjoying his expression of horror as the girl he'd been trying to save from these creatures turned into one. He screamed and ran off.

Leo held a stick in either hand. He ran at a human who had a dart gun aimed at Tiger Claw and jabbed him. Leo silently wished he had a better weapon. Each of his mutant friends had a unique characteristic that could be weaponized, claws, fangs, a horn. A shell couldn't really be used offensively. He heard Karai hiss and lash out at another human. Tiger Claw growled as he clawed at another.

Soon, all the humans had fallen. Tiger Claw looked over at Rocksteady. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine, just sedated," Karai answered.

"Good. Can you watch over him while Leonardo and I get these humans to the nearest village?" Tiger Claw asked.

"Alright- wait, why are you taking them to the village?"

"They do not belong here. The humans will know what to do with them," Tiger Claw answered and hoisted a human over each shoulder and beckoned for Leo to do the same. "We shall return shortly."

* * *

When they got back from the village, Rocksteady had awoken and was telling Karai a story about a pie his mother had made from blueberries during a cold Russian winter.

"We had to go all the way to- oh, hello comrades. I trust your travel was easy, yes?" Rocksteady greeted.

"Yes but I'm afraid we must move," Tiger Claw said.

"Again?"

"Yes Karai. Again." Tiger Claw sighed.

"I was just beginning to like this place," Leo said.

"Me too." Rocksteady nodded.

"We cannot risk staying here now that humans know this location," Tiger Claw told them.

"Don't worry, we understand." Leo smiled sadly. "Maybe we can return here in a few years."

"Yes, maybe," Tiger Claw said but didn't sound too optimistic.

"We should head out now, we still haven't found that human that ran off," Karai said.

"One got away?" Tiger Claw looked alarmed.

"Yes," she said. "Now everyone gather what you can. We must leave."

* * *

As the group walked away from the clearing with the cave, Leo found he didn't miss it that much. He'd grown used to moving after their location was compromised so he never got too attached to any spot.

He glanced around at his friends around him. He saw that Rocksteady was struggling to stay awake, not fully recovered from the sedative.

"Let me take something off you," Leo offered gently taking the bamboo-leaf-woven bag that contained what little food they'd gathered from his arm.

"I am rhino-saurus, I strong," Rocksteady protested.

"And I'm a turtle, I've got a shell," Leo responded and smiled up at him. "I got this, just try to take it easy, Rocksteady. I'm sure Karai would like to hear the end of that story you were telling her earlier."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Karai said. "What happened after that guy showed up at your house?"

"Oh, yes. Strange man, that one," Rocksteady continued. "Was supposed to be some sort of soldier. Japanese, I thinks. Kama… kamakrookie?"

"Kamikaze?" Tiger Claw offered.

"Yes, thank you, cat man," Rocksteady said. "Kamikaze man showed up at Russian town and go to mama's door. He was not supposed to be there. He no speak good Russian but he say he not do his job so men come after him."

"He abandoned his duty."

"I not know what that is," Rocksteady said. "But man was very upset so mama…"

Leo stopped listening and smiled, enjoying the sight of his friends talking. So what if they had no home? They had everything they needed right here.


	6. Connection

The Following Night

Astral Plane

The Astral Plane was a quiet and peaceful place. The horizon was always so hazy that one could never make out any shapes in the distance. The sky was mere a swirl of fog with bright colors dancing through it, looking perfectly natural.

In the center of the void stood a lone figure. Under his red coverings, thin limbs covered in a layer of brown fur could be seen. This was no human.

The figure stood with his eyes closed and his head tilted down. His hands were clasped together in concentration as he inhaled and exhaled, focusing his energy into this place. It took a lot of effort to get here.

Finally, his red eyes snapped open, piercing the surrounding fog. His gaze seemed to slice through the air. The haze dispersed, clearing where his eyes stared.

The figure knew that it was hopeless to try and spot anything in the distance but hope's hands clung to his heart. Not breaking his stare, he silently prayed to whatever gods were out there would listen to his silent cries. This was his only chance.

In the distance, the figure saw movement. His heart skipped a beat. A shadow appeared in the fog then another then another and another. Four shadows. He felt them drawing closer. He inhaled sharply, not believing that this was happening after all this time. He felt the temptation to pinch himself like a child to see if he was dreaming.

When a green oddly shaped foot reached out from the fog into the space around the figure, he knew it was time. Everything was about to change.

"Where on Earth am I?" the newcomer said. A second foot joined the first as he slipped out of the fog.

The figure gasped at the sight of him. The newcomer, just like the figure waiting in the Astral Plane, clearly wasn't human but no clothing covered his green skin or worn shell. Only a blue mask covered part of his face.

The second shadow was drawing closer. The figure, despite seeing a turtle exit the fog already, was not prepared to see the next appear before him.

"What is this place?" the second turtle demanded. He too did not cover himself save for a red bandanna around his neck. This turtle was shorter than the first but had a strong, sturdy build. His three fingered hands were both curled into fists and his knees were bent slightly in a fighting stance. He looked around warily.

The figure was so caught up in watching the second turtle that he almost missed the arrival of the third.

"Uncanny," the third said in awe. His mouth hung open showing that he had a missing tooth as he gazed at the sights around him. He was taller than the others and far skinnier. He wore a pair of purple goggles on his forehead that were clearly laced with all sorts of advanced technology. He flipped them down over his eyes, trying to scan the mysterious mist to no avail. He frowned and pushed them back up and reached out with one hand, feeling the fog curiously.

"Dudes. This place is wicked." The fourth turtle seemed the most relaxed of the bunch as he stepped out of the fog to join the group. His bright eyes were fixed on the swirling colors and he wore an equally bright smile on his face as he looked around. He wore an orange sun hat on his head. He pushed the flap up revealing the light and blueness of his eyes.

"Leonardo… Raphael… Donatello… Michelangelo…" the figure spoke as his eyes flicked between the four of them. Tears formed and threatened to fall. It took all of his willpower to not just start sobbing right then and there.

The turtle with the red bandanna, Raphael, turned on him, fist raised. "Who are you? How do you know those names?"

The figure slowly reached up and removed the hood from his head. It fell back against his shoulders as his face was revealed to the four turtles. "It's been so long..."

"Father!" Leonardo exclaimed.

"Dad?" Raphael dropped his aggressive stance, his eyes widening in shock.

"S-splinter? " Donatello spluttered.

"Dad!" Michelangelo cried.

"My sons…" Splinter exhaled with pure joy lighting up his watering eyes. He spread his arms. The four turtles wasted no time rushing into them to be pulled into a tight embrace. Each one of them buried their face into Splinter's chest. Splinter tightened his hold and a tear ran down his face. "Oh how I've missed you."

"Wait. How is this possible?" Donnie was the first to break away.

"Dude, I don't really care," Mikey said, still clutching Splinter with all the power in his small body. He tried pulling Donnie back into the group hug but the taller turtle leaned away.

"This has got to be a dream." Raph was the next to step away. He put his face in his hands, overwhelmed. "I've got to be dreaming."

"No, my son, you are not dreaming," Splinter told him and released his remaining sons despite his remaining urge to continue clinging to them. "Though you are not in the waking world."

"Is this the Astral Plane?" Leo questioned, looking around once more. "It's not how I imagined it."

"Yes, this is the Astral Plane," Splinter confirmed, surprised that his eldest son knew of this place. "I managed to contact you and bring you all here."

"It's been ten years." Raph's voice cracked. It wasn't accusatory but it was filled with emotion. He was clearly incredibly upset. Splinter's heart went out to him. That was not his intention. "Why only contact us now? Why not before? I don't know about you guys," he said, looking at his brothers, "but I'm doing fine now."

Splinter sighed. He knew this question would come up. "Contacting you took extensive meditation. It was no simple feat," he explained. "I wish I could have contacted you when you were younger but your minds were not strong enough. I understand you were all taken very far away so I probably wouldn't have been able to find you but I wish I could have at least comforted you."

Raph's expression softened a bit at his father's words. Mikey clutched his hat like a comfort object for he too was overwhelmed with emotion. Donnie didn't make too much of an effort to hide it but Leo was. He stood stiff and strong but his feelings shone through his cerulean eyes.

"I feared the worst for so long. It… The pain was often too much to bear," Splinter admitted. "But I never stopped searching for you."

"What changed?" Donnie asked. "How come you were able to find us now?"

"I had some… assistance," Splinter told him. "The universe has conspired to bring us back together."

"Why?"

"The Shredder. The man who separated us."

The four turtles froze.

"I did not understand at first but I now know that the Shredder is about to do something terrible," Splinter told them. "It was the desperation of the situation that let me contact you."

"Something terrible?" Mikey murmured.

Splinter nodded. "I need you to come home. For us to be a family once more. Of course, the choice is yours but even if you decide to remain where you are, there is something we must do first."

Splinter took a few steps. Out of thin air, his jade staff formed in his hand. He gave a small smile. It had been awhile since he held this staff. He tapped it against the ground. The four turtles jumped into a line standing shoulder to shoulder. The staff disappeared in a whirl of smoke.

"Leonardo," Splinter began with his eldest son, "oh how I've missed the way you cared for our family. If we had remained together and the four of you had become a ninja squad of the Hamato Clan, you would have become a great leader and an even better heir to the clan."

Splinter reached his hands forward, palms up. The mist spun around his hands and two twin blades appeared. Leo's eyes widened at the sight of them the looked up at his father. Splinter nodded and Leo put out his hands.

"Leonardo, you are incredibly disciplined, very much in touch with your spirit and you have always loved the art of the ninja," Splinter said as he placed the swords in Leo's hands. "These are Ninjato Katana, a mix of the traditional ninja sword and the traditional samurai sword. I trust you will use them well."

Splinter reached up and placed his finger between Leo's eyes. The turtle stiffened as he felt a rush of energy. Images of battles between ninja and samurai formed in his mind.

"Raphael," Splinter stated as he moved to the next turtle. Raph looked up at his father, his eyes still emotional. "You have a warrior's spirit and the rage of the strongest of tsunami. While you stand alone, you do so in front of those you deeply care about."

Splinter put his hands in front of him again. Twin sai appeared. Raph reacted similarly to his older brother but knew what to do and accepted them.

"The sai are a traditional melee weapon with many uses including both offense, defense, and trapping," Splinter explained. "A deadly weapon for one who has the skill to master them. I trust you will hold them with the same value and strength you hold yourself in battle for the sai become an extension of their master."

Splinter put his finger between Raphael's eyes just as he did Leonardo. Raph flinched slightly at the contact but did not pull away. In his mind, he saw a warrior catching a sword between a sai's prongs and throwing the opponent before landing several hard blows on him.

"Donatello." Splinter now stood before his third son. "You have a brilliant mind that I doubt will ever cease to amaze me and you have only scratched the surface of its potential. Combat is not your strength but your intellect more than makes up for that."

A long stick formed in Splinter's outstretched hands. He handed it to Donnie who eyed it with wonder.

"The bo staff is a weapon for one with a creative mind for it opens the gate for an infinite number possibilities, not all of them obvious," Splinter told him. "I'm sure you will discover them and find many more that suit you."

Splinter placed a finger on Donnie's forehead. The genius turtle saw images of a man keeping an attacker at bay and at a distance with a long staff before defeating him with a hard strike to the chest.

"And finally Michelangelo." Splinter smiled down at his youngest son. Mikey smiled back. "You have a wild and free spirit. While this can be your downfall, it is also your greatest strength. Your uniqueness is what defines you."

Splinter held up his hands one final time. Dual nunchaku appeared. Mikey eyed them eagerly but waited for his father to give them to him.

"The nunchaku, or the nunchuck, are a weapon for the quick and allow the freedom of expression through combat. They will compliment you and your individuality as well as work well alongside your raw talent."

Splinter put his finger on Michelangelo's forehead. The youngest turtle's mind was filled with images of warriors swinging the weapon freely in powerful, well-aimed strikes.

Splinter stepped back from his sons. His gaze swept over the four of them once more. "Weather or not you four decide to return to New York, I encourage you to use these gifts to embrace your ninja roots though I do truly hope each of you will come. As I said, the universe has conspired to bring you home to me… I miss you with everything in me."

"I miss you too…" Mikey said. He moved forward for one final hug. Splinter clutched him tightly. Leo, Raph, and Donnie quickly joined in, each of them wanting to be as close to their family as they could for these final few seconds.

Mikey was the first to disappear. Then Donnie then Raph and then finally Leo, returning to the waking world and leaving Splinter standing alone in this endlessly stretching land of nothing but colors and fog.


	7. Awakening

The Next Morning

Asia

Leo woke to the feeling of the sun's rays on his face. Eyes still closed, he gave a small smile. He always loved the feeling of the sun on his hard outer shell. He was a turtle after all and turtles loved their sun.

As Leo blinked his eyes open, the memories of his dream the night prior came rushing back. He sat up quickly and felt his plastron hit something lying on top of him. He didn't have time to question if his dream had been just a dream or if he had really contacted his family for lying on top of him was a pair of sheathed swords.

He glanced around. Rocksteady and Karai were still out cold in the middle of the forest clearing where they had fallen asleep the night before.

Wanting to figure this out on his own first and seeing that no one was watching him, Leonardo shifted into a crossed-legged position and lay his swords across his lap. Excitement took a hold of his body. He could barely contain himself as he slowly wrapped his three fingered hand around the hilt of one of the swords and gently pulled it out. The blade slid into view, the metal gleaming in the morning light as sunlight touched it for the first time.

Leo suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. "Leonardo, we should-"

Leo moved without thinking. Images of samurai clashing flashed in his mind and his swords were unsheathed and in his hands in an instant. He got to his feet and kicked out. The figure who had been standing behind him was knocked flat into a tree.

Before he knew what he was doing, Leo had Tiger Claw pinned to a tree, his two katana blades crossed over the tiger's neck.

Tiger Claw's yellow eyes met Leo's blue ones and blinked in shock. "Leonardo, what-?"

Leo didn't give him a chance to finish as he suddenly realized what he just did. He quickly pulled away and slid his swords back into their sheathes. His gaze was locked on Tiger Claw as he stumbled back in shock of his own actions before turning to run off into the forest.

* * *

Australia

The sound of a stomach growling filled the oasis that held four sleeping mutants. The noise woke Mikey. He patted his stomach tiredly. "Shh, stomach. You'll wake everyone up."

The action caused his fingertips to touch something foreign. Mikey opened one eye then closed it. Then his brain registered what he was seeing. "Woah!"

On the underside of his shell lay a pair of nunchucks exactly likes the ones from his dream. Mikey blinked at them in wonder.

Unable to resist, Mikey got to his feet and began swinging them around. The image of fighters fluidly brandishing them at their opponents flooded his mind.

"Dudes!" Mikey shouted. "Look at what I got!"

Bebop was the first to respond. "What in the name of- oh hot diggity."

"Sweet!" Mondo exclaimed, his eyes practically jumping out of his head when they fell upon Mikey's new weapon. He watched Mikey's movements with curiosity.

"Michelangelo, where did you get those?" Leatherhead asked calmly but his eyes were wide.

"I got 'em in a dream!" Mikey responded. He shifted his weight, experimenting a new way of swinging the nunchucks.

"That's the only logical explanation." Mondo nodded seriously.

"Yeah," Bebop said sarcastically before turning on Mikey. "How in the world can you get material things from a dream."

"I dunno," Mikey responded.

"Yeah, no one knows how dreams work," Mondo backed him up.

"No. I know how dreams work. It's ninja stuff," Mikey responded. "I don't know the thing you said because I don't know what material things are."

"Oh boy," Bebop sighed. "Nevermind. If this 'ninja stuff' makes so much sense to you, care to explain it to the piggies in the room who don't understand it?"

"And geckos," Mondo added. He looked at Leatherhead. "And croco-alligator dudes."

Mikey stopped swinging his weapon for a moment to look at his friends. "So ninjas know about this supercool place called the Astral Plane where all this neat stuff happens. I think my dad's a ninja, I can't really remember, but I think he brought me there and gave me this supercool ninja weapon."

"It is pretty cool," Bebop admitted.

"I know right!" Mondo exclaimed. "Come on, lemme try it."

"No way!" Mikey said. "You've got gecko hands. There's no way you'd be able to get a grip on these things!"

"Oh. Good point."

"Michelangelo, do you understand what this means?" Leatherhead asked, leaning forward so his face was level with the younger reptile's smaller one.

Mikey frowned for a moment in thought. His face then lit up. "I can be a ninja."

Leatherhead sighed and leaned against the tree behind him. "No."

"Aw."

"Yes, you can be a ninja. No, that is not what I meant."

"Yes! I can be a ninja!"

"I think you're missing something important here, lil green," Bebop said.

"Really? What?"

"You spoke of your father. Do you know what this means?"

"No…"

Leatherhead sighed again. "You remember your family."

"My family… Oh! I remember them!" Mikey said happily. He wrapped his arms around himself, remembering the group hug in the Astral Plane. "They were there! I found my family! Guys! I found my family!"

* * *

South America

Raph rolled over in his sleep, the stone cave floor uncomfortable against his equally hard shell, but the motion caused him to stir awake. The last of his dream faded away as he entered the realm of the woken. He gave a small groan. "Splinter…"

"Eh? What's that, boy?" Fishface questioned. He was already awake. He sat by the cave entrance, gazing out at the ocean. He didn't turn. "You got a splinter?"

"Not a splinter," Raph murmured, still partially asleep. "Splinter."

"Are you alright?" Fishface asked and got up. His metallic feet clanged against the stone ground as he made his way over to Raph's sleeping form. He put a webbed hand on the turtle's forehead, feeling his temperature.

Raph's green eyes suddenly snapped open. He saw warriors trapping their opponents between the prongs of a sai.

Raph's hand went to his side instinctively and wrapped around the handles of the weapon he hadn't even noticed was present. With his free hand, he grabbed Fishface's wrist and forced him back.

Fishface's back slammed into the cave wall. A feeling, a powerful one, almost like rage, roared through Raph's body. He rose the hand wielding the sai and rose it. He brought it down so hard that the middle spike drove right through the rock of the cave. Fishface watched his younger friend with wide eyes as his hand was forced against the wall, trapped between the sai's prongs.

"Merda, what gives?" Fishface yelped.

Raph was suddenly aware of what he was doing. He grabbed his sai from the wall and yanked it free. He stumbled back a bit in shock. He looked down unable to look at Fishface or his other friends behind him who he knew had to have witnessed what he had just done.

"I- I- I…" Raph trailed off, unable to put together a complete thought. He shut his mouth and ran out of the cave. His foot hit Casey's leg, causing him to stumble but he didn't stop.

Slash and Fishface exchanged a glance. "What was that about?"

"I'm not sure."

* * *

Antarctica

"Donnie?"

"..."

"Donnie?"

"..."

"Donnie?"

"Hmm?"

"Donnie. Don. Donzo. Donallei."

"What?" Donnie snapped. He was lying on a bed in the medical bay. His sharp brown eyes met Rahzar's orange ones as he came face to face with the supermutant. Rahzar's eyes seemed to be glowing more than usual.

"What's that?" Rahzar asked from his own medical bed next to Donnie's. His long finger was pointing to Donnie's chest.

"What's wha- oh." Donnie blinked down at what he had in his arms. The events of the previous night came rushing back to him.

"It's a stick," Rahzar said, intrigued. His head tilted like a dog's as his gaze locked on it.

"Hey, don't get any ideas," Donnie said, turning away from his friend. "This is a bo staff, not some stick for you to chew on. It's a Japanese weapon."

"Aw," Rahzar whined then his human mind seemed to overtake his animalistic behavior and he brightened. "Wait, Japanese weapon? Like ninja stuff?"

Donnie nodded and turned back, cradling the bo staff in his three fingered hands like the precious treasure it was.

"So how'd you get it? I mean, we're in the middle of Antarctica and you can't go outside."

"We're not actually in the middle of this frozen desert. We're rather close to the coast but just out of the regional storms since Falco's crew couldn't build a lab with all the thermoarctic-"

"Donnie."

"Sorry. I got my bo staff in a dream."

"A dream?" a British accent questioned as Rockwell walked into the room. Using his telekinetic powers, the chimpanzee plucked the weapon from Donnie's grip and set it down on the bedside table. "I wouldn't imagine a scientific mind such as your own to believe such a thing, Donatello. In the midst of your hypothermic confusion, you must have latched onto this object for comfort as the wood remind you of a warmer time."

"I think I would know if there was a stick laying around somewhere in the base," Rahzar pointed out. "Besides, smell it. It hasn't even taken to the scent here. It's like it just got here."

Rockwell sighed. "Donatello, don't listen to your peer's nonsense."

"I got it in a dream. I really did Rockwell," Donnie insisted. "I can hardly believe it but my father was- is- a powerful ninja in Japan. He can-"

"Donatello, you have experienced some trauma by going out after Rahzar like you did," Rockwell began.

"Which I'm grateful for by the way," Rahzar jumped in.

"I know," Donnie told him. "You've expressed it in so many ways that I don't even want to remember."

"As I was saying," Rockwell continued with a glare at the two, "you are likely confused, seeking comfort, and possibly running a fever. Please try not to believe the ridiculousness your brain has conjured."

"But-"

"I came in here to see if you two were ready to join Ms. O'Neil in a room other than the medical bay but it seems that a temperature check is in order," Rockwell interrupted. He turned to the door. "I will be back momentarily."

Donnie let out a long sigh. Rahzar rolled over onto his stomach and propped his head up on his hands to look up at Donnie. "So tell me more about this dream."

"Oh, not you too."

"What?"

"You're just going to tell me that I imagined it all."

"No, no, no. I believe you," Rahzar told him. "How else would you have gotten that stick?"

"It's a bo staff."

"I'm pretty sure it's a stick."

"It's a traditional Japanese weapon."

"Still a stick."

"Whatever."


	8. Decisions

Morning

Asia

"Leo!"

"Turtle!"

"Leonardo!"

Leo heard his friends calling his name but he didn't respond. He was perched high in a tree. Just below him, he could see Karai, Rocksteady, and Tigerclaw looking around worriedly.

"Come on Leo!" Karai called. "I know you're around here! Why are you hiding?"

Leo ducked his head and backed up into the trees. Even if he wanted to, he didn't think he could answer Karai's question. He did know that he wanted to be alone for a bit. He felt so bad for attacking Tigerclaw but that wasn't even the worst thing. The fact he had the katanas, that's what scared him.

They were proof that his dream was real. That his father was looking for him and that his brothers were alright. More than anything, he wanted to run out of this forest and go to New York and look for them but that meant leaving his friends. They'd been by his side for so long, he felt so bad that he just wanted to up and leave them.

Leo ran through the forest tops until the landscape began to slope. He'd reached the mountains. Leo dropped out of the trees and began to climb. He didn't climb to high, he knew that would be counterproductive. He just sat. He needed to think. Stones made better sitting places than branches.

Leo held the katanas in his hands. He shifted them a bit so he saw his reflection in the flat of the blade. Leo blinked in surprise. He'd never seen his reflection. He looked so similar to the brothers he'd seen in the dream.

Leo sighed and found he had straps on his shell as well. He reached back and slid the katana into the sheathes. They went right in. A perfect fit.

Leo stood up and looked into the distance. All he saw was the tops of trees. Where was this New York Splinter spoke about? The name sounded familiar but he couldn't place why. He couldn't see it from here and he didn't think he'd been there recently. It definitely wasn't around here. How was he supposed to get there?

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?"

Leo jumped at the sound of a voice. He turned and saw Karai and Tigerclaw standing behind him. Below, he heard Rocksteady crashing around noisily, not agile enough to climb the mountain but motivated enough to try.

"In case you're wondering how we found you, you should remember we're mutants too." Karai smiled. "Tigers have a great sense of smell and snakes can sense heat."

Leo looked away from them. He didn't know what to say. Tigerclaw out a hand on Leo's shoulder.

"There is no need to feel bad, Leonardo, you reacted on instinct and I was unharmed." Tigerclaw said. Tigerclaw's gaze traveled downward and fell on the straps and sheathed katana. "Where did you get these? You didn't have them last night."

Leo opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

Karai crouched down next to him. "You know you can tell us anything. What's on your mind?"

"I had a dream last night." Leo said hesitantly. "I was on the Astral Plane, I think."

"The Astral Plane?"

"You've heard of it, Tigerclaw?"

"Of course." Tigerclaw said. "Any trained warrior is taught meditation and therefore about the Astral Plane. Few are able to actually go there though."

"Yeah, well, my father was a great ninja." Leo said. Tigerclaw and Karai blinked in surprise and exchanged a look. None of them really ever talked about their families, other than Rocksteady of course. Rocksteady loved telling stories. "He contacted us, brought us to the Astral Plane."

"Us?" Karai questioned.

"My brothers and I." Leo nodded.

"You have brothers?" Rocksteady suddenly appeared behind them. Leo nodded. "I think it time you tell about family."

Leo nodded slowly. "I have three little brothers and a father. When the four of us were just turtles, Father bought us at a pet shop then we all got splattered with this mysterious ooze."

The three nodded. They all knew of the ooze. It was what mutated them all.

"Wait, you start as turtle?" Rocksteady asked. "I not know of mutant that start as animal."

"Well, Father got mutated into a rat and the four of us became more human. Maybe we got the human part from him." Leo explained. "He took care of us for years, teaching us ninjutsu and how to survive. The one night, our home was attacked. I don't really remember it very well but we were all separated and I ended up here. With you guys."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Tigerclaw murmured. "Why did your father contact you? Why now, after all this time?"

"He said he couldn't." Leo shrugged. "But something's happening."

"What?"

"The Shredder."

" _The Shredder?!"_ Karai and Tigerclaw hissed.

"You know them?"

"How could I not?" Tigerclaw growled.

"Um, excuse me but who is Shredder?" Rocksteady asked.

"The most evil man alive." Tigerclaw spat. "When I was in Japan, I constantly saw the horrors his Foot Clan wrought. It was in an attack on one of the Foot Clan's bases where I found you, Karai."

"And for that I am eternally grateful." Karai bowed.

"So what Shredder going to do?" Rocksteady asked.

"I don't know." Leo shrugged. "But Master Splinter wants us to go to New York."

"Then that is where we go." Tigerclaw announced.

"What?"

"You don't think we'd let you go alone, do you?" Karai asked, smiling. Leo stared blankly at her. "Besides, we hate Shredder just as much as you do. If not more."

Leo smiled. "Then we're going."

* * *

Australia

"So what'd your old man say in that dream of yours?" Bebop asked. He, Mikey, Mondo, and Leatherhead all sat crisscrossed in a circle facing each other. The wind blew sand and dirt around them but they were accustomed to it.

"He said something about this dude called the Shredder." Mikey started.

"Gnarly, bro." Mondo nodded. "How hard can he shred? What's his board like?"

"I think Michelangelo is talking about destruction, not skateboarding." Leatherhead told him.

Mikey nodded. "Yeah, he attacked our home and kidnapped all of us when we were kids. Anyway, Master Splinter wants us all to go to New York."

"The Big Apple?!" Bebop squealed and jumped up. "I've always wanted to go there!"

"Well now's your chance." Mikey said smoothly.

* * *

South America

Raph tore up through the mountain as fast as he could. He didn't care that he was stepping on thousands of little rocks or that they were sharp or that they were digging into his unprotected feet. He just wanted to move.

When Raph reached the top, this feeling wasn't gone. He screamed and punched the nearest boulder as hard as he could. It hurt his hand but he didn't care, he just kept hitting it. Anger flowed through his body, he didn't know where it was coming from but he loved the way it rushed to his hands and fueled his punches.

"Raph?"

A chunk of stone broke off the stone and fell onto the ground. It shattered.

"Raph?"

The rock now had a large piece missing and several sharp points where the piece had been. Raph continued to pummel it, not caring how much his hands hurt.

"Raph?!"

"What?!" Raph screamed and whipped around. He saw Casey, Fishface, and Slash watching him in concern.

"Your hands…!" Slash exclaimed. He walked over and took Raph's hands. Raph pulled them away but Slash just grabbed them again. Raph didn't resist this time.

Slash took off both his and Raph's bandannas and wrapped them around Raph's hands. Raph breathed hard and looked away.

"Hold these there." Slash instructed. "Wait until the bleeding stops."

"Have you calmed down now?" Casey asked.

"No." Raph said but it was clear to his friends that he did. Well, calm for Raph.

"What happened?" Fishface asked. "Bad dream?"

"No." Raph answered.

"So it was a dream?" Fishface asked. "No often means yes for you."

"No also means no!" Raph growled. Fishface backed off.

"Come on Raph." Casey begged. "What's got you so angry? I mean angrier than usual."

"The Shredder." Raph growled.

"What?"

"I remember what he did." Raph snarled. "He stole me and my brothers from our home and ordered one of his henchmen to drop me in the Pacific Ocean and left me to drown!"

"That explains why I found you in the water all those years ago." Fishface mumbled.

"What are you going on about?" Casey demanded.

"My father, he contacted me and my brothers." Raph explained. "He was a great ninja, he probably did some crazy mediation mind stuff and contacted us. He told us about the Shredder, and I remember now."

"I'm still not following you." Casey said.

"Me neither." Slash said.

"I remember how I got here." Raph told them.

"Oh."

"So how'd you get those salad forks?"

"They're not salad forks. They're sai." Raph corrected. "I got them in the Astral Plane. That ninja stuff must've allowed me to keep them in real life."

"Are you okay?" Fishface asked. "You're not making any sense."

"I know, I'm sorry." Raph apologized. He slowly turned around and gazed into the Andes Mountains. "I need to go to New York."

"What?"

"Why?"

"That's where Master Splinter is. And where my brothers are going." Raph said. His face hardened. "And where the Shredder is."

"Not really following what your saying there, pal, but we're with you." Slash clapped his shoulder.

"What?"

"You just destroyed your hands on a rock, what kind of other stuff are you going to do when crossing pretty much two continents?" Casey grinned and threw his arm around Raph's shoulder.

Fishface smiled. "Besides, it'd do us all some good to get away from home for a while."

Raph smiled back. "Thanks guys."

* * *

Antarctica

Donnie was hooked up to all sorts of machines. Rockwell looked at a tablet then proceeded to adjust the machines then looked back at the tablet.

"Doctor Rockwell, I swear I'm fine." Donnie sighed. Rockwell shone a flashlight into Donnie's eyes. Donnie glared and flinched away. "I said I'm fine!"

"It appears you are." Rockwell said and released Donnie. "But I'd still expect someone like you to disregard dreams."

"It wasn't a dream." Donnie insisted. "It was a message from my father. After all this time, I saw him and my brothers again. Master Splinter wants me to go to New York. I need to go there!"

"There's nothing for you in New York." Rockwell told him gently but then paused and looked thoughtful. "Though I suppose your mind will be distracted until this is confirmed."

"Does that mean I can go?" Donnie asked hopefully.

"No, that means we will take a break from our research to build a transportation device." Rockwell told him. "It's about time we did that anyway. If you must, you can go to New York."

"Yes!" Donnie exclaimed.

"But," Rockwell told him, "Bradford, April and I will join you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Donnie smiled.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I don't like using "ninja stuff" as an excuse but keep in mind that the turtles (except Leo) haven't been around ninjitsu for ten years so they don't really understand it. But, soon they'll be back in New York right in the middle of it! Again, I'd appreciate some reviews.


	9. New York Sewers

Three Months Later

New York

Finally, after all this time, they were so close. After months of stowing away on planes and boats, hijacking cars, walking, hiking, swimming or in Donatello's case, building, the four turtles were so close.

Somehow, all of them remembered to go to the sewers. But, even after three months of thinking, none of them could remember exactly where their home was so it was pure luck or sheer coincidence that that the four paths of four groups of mutants would collide at this very spot.

It was not the lair. Instead, it was the place where sewer workers would flush out any excess water during a flood. Thankfully, no humans were currently there for the peace that filled the large room was about to disappear.

There were four tunnels that lead to the room. In each tunnel, four sets of footsteps could be heard. Fourteen mutants and two humans walked into the room simultaneously and their lives were changed forever.

Each group was lead by a turtle. Each one fell into a dead silence as they entered the room and lay eyes on a sight they hadn't seen in so long.

The four turtles stared at each other. The others looked around warily, uncomfortable with being in the presence of so many others.

"Bros!" Mikey was the first to speak. He ran forward to the nearest turtle, his eldest brother Leonardo. Leo smiled and took a step towards him but Rocksteady beat him to it. Rocksteady charged forward, head down, horn out, right at Mikey.

"Rocksteady, no!" Leo cried out. Mikey froze.

Suddenly Rocksteady was slammed against the wall. Leatherhead roared, eyes glazed over. His hand went back and he slashed his claws against Rocksteady's face.

"Alright!" Casey shouted. "Brawl!"

"Casey, no!" Raph yelled but Casey rushed forward and pulled a hockey stick out. He'd found it on the way here and it had already saved his neck a number of times. He shot a puck across the sewer room. Rahzar snarled and lunged at him.

Donnie rushed forward and pulled Raph away from the fight. The two made it to their brothers sides and for the first time in ten years, they stood side by side.

"Leo… Donnie… Mikey…!" Raph got out.

"Raph!" Mikey pulled the four into a hug and they held each other close.

"If its fight you want, it's a 'brawl' you want, it's a 'brawl you'll get." Rockwell said and rose into the air with his telekinetic abilities. "Stay back April, I have this handled."

Several of the mutants were lifted into the air before being slammed into the ground, splattering everyone on sewage.

"Hey!" Bebop yelled. "That's nasty man!"

Bebop jumped into the air and gave his signature "hee hee" and shot a blast of energy through the air at the professor.

April jumped forward and pulled Rockwell to the ground. "Stop that!"

"Oh, I could never hurt a girl." Bebop said dramatically holding his hands back. "Said no talking pig ever. Hee hee!"

Several more energy blasts shot through the room. The mutants scramble to dodge them.

"Hey!" Karai hissed. "Watch it!"

"Man, that's freaky." Bebop said as Karai slipped into snake form. Her arms whipped across the room, the heads at the end snapping at Bebop. Bebop squealed and shot off like a rocket, Karai rotating to keep up with him as he ran around the perimeter of the room.

Fishface charged forward and landed a heavy kick on Karai with his metallic feet. She was knocked back but recovered quickly and lunged again.

Tigerclaw activated his jetpack and flew above the room. He pulled out his gun and switched it to the freeze setting. He aimed towards the ground and a stream of ice shot out.

Mondo screamed. "Why is it so cold?!"

Bebop and Leatherhead shivered and scrambled away from the ice. The ray wasn't really hitting anyone, just freezing sewage. Tigerclaw switched it to the laser setting and began shooting. Leatherhead roared as he was hit.

"Oh no! Leatherhead!" Mikey cried out.

"Tigerclaw, stop!" Leo ordered. Tigerclaw paused and looked over but Slash picked up Fishface and threw him at him. Metal foot met furry face and Tigerclaw fell to the ground with Fishface standing over him.

"You'll pay for that." Tigerclaw snarled and grabbed Fishface by the leg and flung him across the room. He hit Rahzar and both of them fell into the sewage.

"Disgusting." Rahzar complained.

"Tell me about it." Fishface said. "I'm a fish, I belong in water, not sewage."

The two were soon locked in combat. A few feet away, Rocksteady and Slash were going head to head and Karai was coiled around Rockwell, ready to bite. Casey was hitting Leatherhead over the head with a hockey stick while the alligator tried to claw Tigerclaw. Mondo and Bebop chased April around the room.

"Enough!" a commanding voice echoed through the room. Everyone froze and looked up. The only people not fighting beamed.

"Father!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Does anyone know what room I'm talking about? I've heard it called the junction but I don't think that's actually what its called. Its the room where the turtles beat Bradford and Xever for the first time.

The turtles are finally together again! Of course, their friends were bound to ruin it.


	10. Loss

New York

Present Day

"My sons!" Splinter smiled as the four turtles rushed over and hugged him. Splinter grunted as if in pain but hugged them back.

"You're hurt!" Leo quickly realized backing away. Blood was smeared on his plastron. "You didn't say anything about being hurt."

"It was recent." Splinter waved him off. "But let's not talk about that now. I am so glad to see you."

The other mutants and humans in the sewer hadn't said anything. Mikey turned around to address them. "Guys, this is Splinter, our dad, ninja master. Sensei, this is Leatherhead, Mondo Gecko, and Bebop. I named them. We all hung out in the Australian Outback."

Leatherhead rose and walked over. He dipped his head to Splinter respectfully. Bebop and Mondo scrambled over and copied Leatherhead.

"Master Splinter, this is Slash, Casey, and Fishface." Raph introduced. The three made their way over but didn't say or do anything. "We all lived together in the Andes Mountains."

"This is Tigerclaw, Karai, and Rocksteady." Leo said. The three walked over. Tigerclaw and Karai bowed deeply while Rocksteady smiled and waved. "We've been all over Asia together, mostly the Chinese forests."

"This is Professor Rockwell, April, and Rahzar." Donnie beckoned his friends over. "We work at a research facility in Antarctica together."

"The Outback? The Andes? The Chinese Forest? _Antarctica_?" Splinter questioned. "You boys certainly got around. I'm glad you made so many friends. I was worried you'd spent all this time alone. Though I would appreciate it if they did not stir up the sewage in meaningless combat."

The room was filled with quiet apologies.

Mikey suddenly hugged Splinter again. Splinter flinched but welcomed it. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Sensei, allow me to see your injury." Donnie requested.

"Not here. It's disgusting and unsanitary." Splinter said. "Let us head home."

"Home?" Raph murmured as if dazed. Leo smiled while Mikey squealed in excitement.

"Home? We're going home!"

"Yes, my son." Splinter smiled. "We're going home."

* * *

The Lair

The turtles couldn't make it home fast enough. The others were kind of skeptical but followed anyway. Soon, all seventeen of them stood in the lair.

It wasn't too crowded if everyone spread out. Mikey ran around the lair excitedly.

"Everything's just like I remember it." Mikey said after he finished racing around.

"You were five, you don't remember it." Raph said but looked around with a rare smile of genuine happiness on his face.

"I must say, Donatello, I did not expect you to live in a place like this before you joined us at the facility." Rockwell said looking around. "A mind like your's must've been so hindered here."

"Like Raph said, I was five, Rockwell." Donnie told him. "And don't insult my home."

Splinter chuckled and Donnie whipped around. "Now, Sensei, let me see your injury."

"Allow me." Tigerclaw said stepping forward. "I am experienced with injury."

"No offense but your a giant cat and he's a rat." Raph said.

"Your point?" Tigerclaw snorted but stepped back to let Donnie do his thing. Donnie peeled back Splinter's robe revealing a long scar surrounded by blood stained fur. Several patches of fur were missing revealing light skin tainted with blackness.

Many of the people in the room flinched, including Donnie.

"Do not be alarmed, my son." Splinter told him.

"How long have you had this?" Donnie asked.

"A few weeks."

"A few weeks? Whatever did this to you was likely poisoned! That's why the skin is blackened like that under the surface. You needed to get help immediately!"

"Donatello, I understand that you have been away from cities for a long time but you must remember there is no help for us." Splinter reminded. "That is why we live in the sewer. Besides, this wound does not make much difference."

Everyone looked confused for a moment. Leo looked closely at his father.

"You're dying." he realized.

"I am dying." Splinter nodded.

"No!" Mikey cried. "We just got back to you!"

"And I will always be here for you." Splinter promised. "My body may be dying but my spirit remains strong. I will never truly leave. Not again."

The five of them drew close again and hugged.

"How- how long do you have?" Raph asked.

"At most, a few weeks." Splinter told him. "Through mediation I have extended my life long enough so I can see you. When I stop, I will die but I can choose when to pass."

"Father, no!" Mikey cried again. "We can't lose you!"

"Like I said, my son, I will never truly leave you." Splinter hushed and out his hand on him. "I do not want you to see me so weakened at the end of my life, I planned on dying sooner rather than later. No need to extend this but I wanted to see you one last time."

"Who did this to you?" Raph asked.

"Father Time."

"You're not that old." Donnie said.

"True. It was Father Time that allowed enough time to pass for Saki's hatred to grow so strong that he would destroy my family. Twice. It was time that allowed him to find me after I thought it was safe." Splinter explained. "It was time that allowed the wound he left to grow back."

"So it was Shredder." Raph growled.

"Do not that man darken this happy time." Splinter told him. "I am just happy to be with my family again."

"Do it now." Leo said.

"What?"

"You said you can choose when to die." Leo said. "I don't want you to die but I want you to die happy. You said you were happy now."

"Leo!" Mikey cried. Tears started forming. "How can you say that?"

"That he wants his father to be happy?" Raph questioned. He went silent for a moment. "I understand and I agree. Sensei, if you want, now would be the perfect time."

"Raph, Leo, how could you just give up?" Donnie demmaded. "He can still get better! Can't you, Sensei?"

Splinter shook his head. "Shredder's claws damaged my body beyond repair and an ancient poison runs through my body. It was a wonder I was able to find you. I agree, it is time for me to go to rest but I will not if my sons cannot accept that."

"I understand, Senesi." Donnie nodded. He looked to Mikey. "Mikey?"

Mikey was crying by now. He sniffed. "I understand too Sensei. Just wait for us to say goodbye, okay?"

"Let us leave." Leatherhead whispered quietly. "This is a personal matter."

The others nodded and left the room as quietly as they could.

"Sensei...Master Splinter…Father… Dad." Mikey choked on his words, he was crying heavily.

Raph put a hand on his shoulder. "Let me, Mikey. Father, we've been apart for so long. I've missed you for a long, long time. I will never forget the years we spent together or everything you've done for us or how much we love each other. Goodbye."

Leo spoke next. "I love you Father. I've thought about you every day for as long as I can remember. I always wished somehow things would go back to the way they were when we were kids. I loved being with you. I always will. I wish we could all be together again but I understand that we can't. I will try my hardest to honor you. Goodbye."

Donnie inhaled deeply. "I don't remember being a kid as well as Leo or Raph but I remember everything you did for us and how much we loved each other. Goodbye."

It was finally Mikey's turn. He cried loudly and wrapped his arms around Splinter, crying into his robe. "I love you Dad! Goodbye!"

"I love you my sons." Splinter said. The other three turtles were pulled into a hug with Leo and Raph on opposite sides and Donnie leaning over Mikey who was partially on the floor with his arms around Splinter. "I have been longing for this day for ten years."

Splinter looked up at them and ran his hand across each of their faces. Tears spilled out of each of their eyes. Tears formed in his own eyes but he blinked them back. His eyes shone with pure emotion. "Remember I love you. Goodbye."

Splinter pulled his sons as close as he could with all his strength, holding onto them one last time. Eventually, the strength disappeared. Mikey looked up into Splinter's eyes and saw the light fade. Splinter's body went limp and slumped over.

"Splinter!" Mikey cried. Tears from the other three turtles fell onto Splinter's fur. Slowly, they all backed up. Donnie's hand went to Splinter's face and he gently closed his eyes. Mikey grabbed the rug and pulled it over. Leo and Raph picked up Splinter's body and lay it out on the rug.

"Goodbye Father."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Emotions are hard to write. And death. Especially the two together.

I planned on Splinter dying from the beginning but it took a while to figure out how to do it properly. I hope this turned out alright.


	11. Family

The Lair

Present Day

"You guys can come back in now." Leo's voice cracked. The last of his brothers had finally stopped crying. None of them had anymore tears left to give. Their eyes were red and faces stained with tears but they managed to get up and look to their friends. Splinter's body lay flat and dead on the floor behind them.

Each turtle was met by their friends.

"I'm so sorry, Leo." Karai walked up to Leo and pulled him into a hug. Leo hugged back but it didn't have much strength. Tigerclaw and Rocksteady stood close providing comfort with their presence rather than words or actions.

Casey and Fishface stood at Raph's side. They each put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright man." Casey said. Suddenly Slash pulled them all into a huge hug that them all off the ground. Raph didn't resist. He just leaned against his friends.

"Donnie…" April said. They embraced. Rahzar joined them and pulled Rockwell in.

"We're here for ya, Donnie." Rahzar murmured.

"I am so sorry for your loss Donatello." Rockwell said.

For once, Mondo and Bebop had no words. They just stood beside Leatherhead and hugged Mikey when he walked over.

After a bit more hugging and a bit more crying, everyone broke apart.

"So what do we do now?" Casey asked. "Do we just leave?"

"No." Raph said harshly catching everyone's attention. "We go after the monster who did this."

"Revenge isn't the answer." Tigerclaw said.

"No, we're not taking revenge." Leo told everyone in his leader voice. "This clan war has gone on too long. We're the last of the Hamato Clan. It's time we end this so no more have to die."

"Technically a few more will probably have to die if we're going to end this." Donnie said.

"A few more will die." Leo corrected himself. "But after that, no more."

"You guys don't have to stay if you don't want to." Raph told everyone. "But we're staying for sure."

"Are you kidding?" Fishface asked. "I didn't get you all the way across the continent to leave you here."

"We're with you, Raphael." Slash said.

"Now way am I leaving." Casey said.

"Count me in too." Rahzar said.

"We cannot leave you, Michelangelo." Leatherhead said.

"Yeah!" Bebop and Mondo shouted.

"Its time the Shredder's reign ends." Tigerclaw said. Karai nodded.

"I stay with you always, turtle!" Rocksteady added.

"We'll stick with you always, Donnie." April said.

"Each of us is like family to one of you." Rockwell said. "It would be wrong to leave."

"Thanks everyone." Leo said.

"You guys are a part of the clan as much as us." Mikey said.

"No, they're not." Raph told him before anything could happen.

"That's not how it works." Donnie added.

"You guys can be honorary members." Leo offered. "We can talk about anyone joining later. Until then, we need to plan on how to take on the Shredder."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Short but necessary. I probably should've just left this with the previous chapter but its too late now. Hope you've enjoyed!


	12. Shredder

One Month Later

New York, Foot HQ

"Everyone know the plan?" Leo asked. He got a series of yeses in response.

The rooftops around the Foot Headquarters was filled with mutants. They'd learned pretty quickly where the Shredder's base of operations was and from some of Splinter's notes, they learned that Shredder planned to launch a full-scale attack to take over New York. That attack began today.

"On my signal." Leo said. Everything was silent for a few moments when suddenly the windows and doors of the building shot open. "Now!"

The mutants leaped off the rooftops and into the fray. The stream of foot soldiers and tanks flowing out of the building slowed as Leatherhead, Slash, and Rocksteady charged into the mass of bodies and began knocking everything out of their way as they cleared a path to the main building.

The others began following them, hitting a soldier at every chance they got but still heading forward. Tigerclaw flew overhead shooting at everything he could. Bebop was perched on his back doing the same. Overhead laser blasts began picking off soldiers as they rushed towards the powerhouse mutants charging through their numbers.

Leo took a massive off the building and landed on Rocksteady's shoulders. His brothers did similar on some of the other larger mutants. "Get me in there, Rocksteady!"

"Right on, boss man!" Rocksteady bellowed. He reached his arm back and hurled Leo at the window. Leo pulled himself into his shell, his brothers doing the same as they flew towards the building. They were perfect projectiles.

The windows shattered on impact and the four turtles were inside where they lay eyes on the Shredder.

"What is this?" the Shredder snarled. "Henchmutants, get them!"

As Shredder's mutants rushed forward, more of the turtles friends rushed in.

"We've got this." Fishface said smiling back at the turtles.

"You go after Shredder." Rahzar told them. Rahzar, Fishface, Mondo, Rockwell, Karai, and Casey stood facing off against Shredder's Snakeweed, Spiderbytes, Cockroach Terminator, Stockman Fly and Pizza Face.

"Thanks guys." Donnie called as he, Leo, Mikey, and Raph ran past the two lines of mutants right at Shredder.

"Turtles?" Shredder growled. "I thought I ordered my henchmen to dispose of you years ago!"

"You did, they just did a bad job doing it!" Raph yelled as he flew through the air. He landed a kick on Shredder's face and tried to drive his sai into him but Shredder grabbed his other leg and tossed him across the room and hit Mikey.

The two stumbled a bit. Mikey was up first. "You okay bro?"

"Yeah, this guy's tougher than he looks." Raph said.

"So am I!" Donnie yelled as he swept his bo staff under Shredder's legs. The Shredder jumped over the attack and right into Leo's katanas. The helmet was knocked off his head and clattered onto the ground.

"The Kuro Kabuto!" Shredder called out and reached for his helmet. Raph took advantage of the opening and ran forward and drove his sai into his ribs. Shredder grunted but it was clear the sai barely penetrated his armor. Raph pulled them out and leaped back to avoid another hit.

"Man, he's ugly." Raph said seeing the Shredder's face for the first time. Burns scarred his face . He was bald for the most part but small bits of hair stuck out from his head. "No wonder he wears that mask all the time."

"It was Hamato Yoshi that did this to me!" the Shredder snarled and charged at the nearest turtle. Mikey yelped at the sight of the Shredder's claws extending. Mikey lashed out with his nunchuck and hit Shredder on the hit but it didn't do much. "Foolish turtle."

Shredder rose his hand in the air, ready to bring the spikes down on Mikey. Leo's katanas blocked the attack just in time.

"It wasn't Hamato Yoshi who did this to you." Leo growled as he pushed against the Shredder's claws with his swords. "It was you! You did this to yourself!"

The Shredder yelled and kicked out at Leo. leo was knocked back but kept his footing. Raph lunged at him again, doding and swipes the Shredder took at him. While he was distracted, Donnie tried to hit him over the head with his bo staff but Shredder managed to catch that too. He grabbed it in one hand and pulled him over his head and tossed him across the room.

"Man, this guy really likes tossing turtles." Mikey said.

"He's just increasing the distance between us and him so he can focus on whichever of us of closest." Leo said. "Everyone attack at once but keep out of his range!"

The four turtles surrounded the Shredder. The Shredder looked around, trying to decide who to attack first. He eventually moved forward and his hand shot out at Leo. Leo ducked and Raph hit him with his sai from the back and Donnie and Mikey both hit him in the head.

The Shredder turned and lashed out at Raph. Donnie and Mikey continued to jab at him with the weapons and Leo hit him in the back while Raph dodged.

The Shredder snarled and began whipping around. He stopped and lunged at Donnie. Raph barely had time to strike him then back up when the Shredder whipped around and lashed at him. The Shredder suddenly dropped onto his hands and kicked out behind him like a donkey knocking Leo and Mikey back.

The Shredder was freed from the circle. He walked up to Donnie and rose his claws. Leo rushed forward and blocked the attack with his swords again. Shredder's other hand suddenly came into his line of sight and raked across his face.

"Leo!" Donnie cried out. Leo growled and kicked out at Shredder knocking him into a teamed attack of Mikey and Raph.

"I'm fine." Leo said wiping his face to show that the cut wasn't deep. Shredder began to spin, nicking both Raph and Mikey's shells with his talons. Raph and Mikey backed off.

"We're getting lucky." Raph said. "We gotta end this quick."

"I got an idea." Leo said glancing at the other fight. Karai and Casey were circling around Spiderbytes using a strike and retreat tactic while the other distracted him to take him. Leo have a quick hand signal.

"What?" Casey didn't understand it but Karai nodded. Leo signaled is brothers. They nodded and Raph stepped back in the direction of the other fight. The Shredder lunged at him again.

Karai slithered across the room in the direction of the turtles.

"You can't get away that easily worm!" Spiderbytes shouted after her. His mouth shifted a bit and he spat at her. The acid flew across the room. Leo rushed forward and knocked her out of its path. Raph glanced back and leaped away leaving the acid to head right for… "Master Shredder!"

Shredder gave an angry cry as some of his armor began melting. Karai and Leo were still on the floor. Shredder staggered over to him. Karai leaned her head up and spat venom at him. He screamed as it touched his skin and his armor hissed as more of it began to melt away.

"Thanks Karai." Leo smiled. She nodded and got up to returned to her own fight.

Donnie and Mikey ran at Shredder and hit them with their weapons. Large pieces of Shredder's armor fell off. Raph ran over and kicked Shredder hard in the head. Leo came over and raised his sword over Shredder's head. He looked to his brothers. They nodded.

"Surderner." Leo said.

"Never!" Shredder yelled. "I will-!"

Leo's sword came down. The Shredder was dead.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Surprisingly, the turtles managed to defeat the Shredder first try. Keep in mind they had a month between now and meeting back up. Guess what they spent that month doing?


	13. End of the Foot

Present Day

Foot HQ

The Shredder was dead. His head lay separated from his body and the Kuro Kabuto lay several feet away. The Henchmutants looked over in shock.

"Mazzter Shredder!" Stockman-Fly cried.

"Uh oh." Snakeweed said.

"I am out of here." Spiderbytes said but Karai's hand-mouth grabbed him before he could start scaling the wall.

"Foot, stop fighting!" Leo ordered. "Your leader is dead."

The fighting continued outside.

Tigerclaw flew by the window. "Leonardo, take the Kuro Kabuto. It is a symbol of leadership. Show it and they will listen to you!"

"What?!" Leo yelled in surprise. Raph picked the Kuro Kabuto and handed it to Leo.

"Here ya go, Fearless." Raph smiled.

"What? I can't-"

"You can and you will." Raph growled and shoved it into his hands. "Master Splinter said you were leader for a reason."

Leo blinked and looked over to see his other mutant friends dragging Shredder's Henchmutants to the side, clearing a pathway to the door.

Leo walked forward to the door. Outside Slash, Rocksteady, Leatherhead, Tigerclaw and Bebop were still fighting Foot Soldiers. Leo stood at the entrance and held up the Kuro Kabuto.

"Stop!" Leo ordered. The fighting continued. He cleared his throat and yelled as loud as he could. "STOP!"

Everyone looked over and froze. The Foot Soldiers seemed to be in a state of shock. "Lay down your weapons. The Foot Clan is no more."

Leo looked to Tigerclaw. Tigerclaw nodded. Leo out the Kuro Kabuto on the ground and Tigerclaw froze it with his gun. Leo's brothers joined him at his side. They exchanged a look before all raising their weapons and smashing the helmet.

The Foot Soldiers snapped out of whatever had entraced them. A few tried to rush forward to attack but some warning shots from Bebop stopped them and they fled with the majority of the soldiers.

"You did well." Tigerclaw smiled and landed next to the turtles. The others ran over and joined them.

"We couldn't have done it without all of you." Leo smiled. Mikey picked up the remains of the Kuro Kabuto and passed them around.

"I think we should all hang onto these." Mikey said. "To remember."

"And so no one tries to put that thing back together." Donnie nodded.

"I can't believe it's over." Raph said.

"Let's go home." Leo told them.


	14. The End?

Later

The Lair

The large group of mutants made it back to the turtle's home for a much needed rest and a place to treat and injuries. But first, they had to address the question on everyone's minds.

"So, what do we do now?" Raph asked.

"You stay together. You are a clan after all."

Everyone looked over to see Splinter standing in the lair.

"Father!" Mikey cried and ran over to hug him but passed through him. "Father?"

"I am merely here in spirit, my son." Splinter shook his head. "I told you I'd never truly leave you."

"It's good to see you again, Father." Leo said. Splinter smiled.

"That will scar nicely, my son." Splinter gestured at Leo's face. Leo's hand went to his face, he'd forgotten about that. "I suggest you clean your wounds. Especially those left by the Shredder. He doesn't clean those claws of his. They've got more diseases on them than a street rat."

Leo smiled. He was glad Splinter was here.

"What are you all waiting for?" Splinter asked. "Go clean your wounds, go sleep. I'll be here when you return. Then we can talk about your futures, when your rested.

* * *

They escaped without too much injury. Donnie, who was surprisingly was pretty unhurt, made a list and taped it to the refridgerator. This was the list he made:

-Leo: cut on face, scrapes and small cuts on arms, raw hands from gripping his swords, scuffs and bruises on shell.

-Mikey: lots of scuffs and bruises on shell. Also he is cold for some reason.

-Raph: cuts on shell and arms, cut on jaw, raw hands like Leo's from gripping his sai, scuffs and bruises on shell

-April: April is totally fine. She ran comms, she was nowhere near the fight

-Rockwell: bruised rib, headache from overuse of psychic power

-Rahzar: torn ear, missing a few teeth from biting people, broken claws, missing some fur, minor scrapes and bruises, dislocated fingers where broken claws were

-Tigerclaw: Tigerclaw is pretty much okay since he was above the fight the entire time. Missing some fur and minor cuts from throwing stars

-Rocksteady: he has very thick skin so he's fine

-Karai: missing some fangs from hand snakes (what are those things called anyway?), venom levels low, other injured healed due to increased healing speed

-Fishface: robotic parts need repair, webbing on hands is torn as well as fin, minor cuts

-Casey: missing several teeth but those may have already been missing, cracked knee, light sprains, minor cuts, lots of bruises

-Slash: he is indestructible

-Mondo: lots of scrapes, lots of cuts, lots of bruises, black eye, broken hand, hand webbing torn, lost his voice from screaming so much

-Bebop: Bebop was on Tigerclaw's back the entire time. He has no injuries

-Leatherhead: he's not called Leatherhead for nothing

* * *

Within a few hours, all injuries were treated to the best of their ability and everyone was able to get some sleep. Now, they all sat in the living room to see what Splinter had to say.

"I'm very proud of you, my sons." Splinter said then looked up at everyone else. "And I am equally proud of the rest of you. I thank you for ending this clan war."

A murmur rippled through the room along with several nods.

"I'm sure you are all wondering what you should do now. In fact, I know. You said it earlier." Splinter said. "You could return to your old lives or stay here. If you choose either, there are still choices you must make. Its entirely up to you. Just remember you are always welcome in my clan."

"Father, what will you do?" Leo asked.

"I will go where all spirits go." Splinter told him. "But I will always look out for you and come whenever I am needed. For now, I must go and you all must make your decisions. I suggest you break off into the groups you arrived in and discuss it."

* * *

"We are so staying." Casey said. "New York is so metal."

"I agree." Raph nodded. "There's so much here! And I'm sure at least some of the others will stay. I want to stay with them."

"Think about all we're leaving behind, Raphael." Fishface told him.

"Nature? We can find that pretty easily. It's time for some change." Slash said. "And besides, do you really want to travel all the way back?"

"Good point." Fishface said. "Alright, I'm on board."

"So we've all agreed?" Raph asked. Everyone nodded. "We're staying then.

* * *

"We are staying, no discussion." Bebop said. Mondo nodded, unable to say anything, not wanting to strain his throat.

"I'm finally with my brothers again!" Mikey shouted. Leatherhead smiled.

"This is a wonderful place." Leatherhead said.

* * *

"What do you guys want to do?" Leo asked.

"What do you want to do, comrade?" Rocksteady asked.

"I want to stay here with my brothers but I don't want to leave you guys." Leo said.

"Then I'll stay." Karai said. "I don't want to leave you either."

"I shall stay as well." Tigerclaw nodded. "I wish to stay with you and it's likely that some sort of pseudo Foot Clan will try to rise again."

"Rocksteady?" Leo looked to the rhinoceros.

"Rocksteady go wherever you go!" Rocksteady told them. "Always has, always will."

* * *

"New York is nice." April said. "I love it here already. I think I want to stay."

"Me too." Rahzar smiled. "It's warm here."

"There's so much here that I've never seen." Donnie said. "And I want to stay with my brothers. Rockwell, what do you think?"

Rockwell nodded. "Studying climate change in antarctica is a bit boring. It may do us some good to move out here."

* * *

Each group walked back into the living room.

"Have you all decided?" Splinter asked. Everyone nodded.

"We're staying." Leo said.

"Us too!" Mikey added.

"You guys are stuck with us!" Raph smiled.

"We're staying as well." Donnie said.

Splinter smiled. "Well then, all of you welcome to the new Hamato Clan."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This story is now complete. But don't worry, I plan on writing a sequel/ follow up story in the coming months. Personally, I love interactions and I really want to see how the brothers interact after being apart for such a long time and it'd be neat to see how the others form friendships and feel about everything.

But that's not for a while. In the meantime, I've started a prequel of some sorts. Its basically a series of oneshots that take place before this story's chapters 2-5. Its really just a story that gives more context to this AU. You can find it by heading to my profile and going to my stories. Its just called Four Corners of the Earth: Prequel.

This story was originally written to take a break from another story I'm working on (but haven't published). Its really not my best work but I'd love some reviews to hear what you guys think of it!


End file.
